Bonds Are Stronger Than Gold
by BloodPokemon101
Summary: Naruko, Heroine of the Fourth Great War, admired and loved by all. After years of struggle, she's accepted, she acknowledged, and she was able to mend the bond between her and Sasuke. But there's one bond she's still needs to fix, the one between her and her two younger brothers, Ed and Al. After ten years, Naruko decides it's finally time to visit them, but would she be welcomed?
1. Bitter Departure

**(A/N: I've decided to do a Naruto/Fullmetal Alchemist crossover. I honestly wanted to do this for a long time. I had several ideas for this, but never got around to it. This is heavily inspired by both BlackDeviousRose's 'The Story Untold' [I wish they would continue that fanfic] and STLHero's 'The Fullmetal Alchemist Sister' [and plus the fact I always wanted to do more Naruto crossovers]. I love their stories. You guys should check it out. They're awesome!**

 **Ahem! Anyway, yeah this is a Naruto/FMA fanfic. I don't know how many times I plan to update this, so be pretty ready for a very slow burner as I'm more focused on my other FMA crossover. This is more on the side along with my other stories [whenever I get to them].**

 **As for timeline… In the Naruto timeline… This takes place place probably a little over a year after the Fourth Great Ninja War. So, Naruko is eighteen while Ed and Al are fifteen and fourteen, respectively. And in the FMA side of things… Takes place after the Elric brothers leave Resembool after Winry repairs Edward's automail after his first fight with Scar.**

 **Naruko [fem-Naruto] is Ed's and Al's adopted older sister. She was brought by Jiraiya to live with Trisha and Hohenheim outside the Elemental Nations. When Naruko turns eight, she has return back to Konoha to begin her ninja training without telling Edward and Alphonse why she's leaving, leaving them with same impression of her as their father [Ed's icy bitterness and Al's blatant sadness].**

 **As for pairings, this is a Naruko [fem-Naruto]/Sasuke pairing. I always wanted to do a Naruko/Sasuke fanfic crossover with Fullmetal Alchemist, and here it is! As for others, I don't know. Canon, perhaps? Unless, you have any other suggestions. I was thinking of Edward/Sakura as one of the side pairings, but then I thought she may be a little bit too old for him. She** _ **is**_ **eighteen while he's fifteen. I don't know.**

 **Well, anyway, I don't own Naruto or Fullmetal Alchemist. Let's get on with the story…! Enjoy!)**

* * *

Bitter Departure

 _A boy with hair and eyes are bright as gold stared curiously at an older girl blonde tied into short pigtails and eyes as blue as the ocean's depth._

" _Ed! Look! This is your new big sister, Naruko!" his mom announced, cheerily._

 _Edward stared at the older girl, his sister, with wonder and awe. With chubby legs, he toddled towards her. "Hi, sister!" he greeted, toothily. "I'm Edward!"_

 _The girl smiled, widely at him. "Nice to meet you, Edward. I'm Naruko!" she greeted in return, gently rubbing his head._

* * *

 _Ed stood nervously as his mother searched for a nice pair of clothes to wear. They were going to take a family photo she had told him whatever that meant._

 _Naruko was already dressed in a pale blue summer dress. Her blonde hair was tied into their usual pigtails._

 _After he was neatly dressed in a burnt red shirt and brown shorts, his mom went to get his infant baby brother, Alphonse, ready as well._

 _His big sister grabbed his smaller hands and followed after their mother as she led them into a room where dad was along with a strange man with a camera._

 _He couldn't understand a word his parents were saying, but his could, seeing as her face was scrunched up in confusion._

 _Ed was picked up by Trisha as she held him out towards Hohenheim. His father tentatively placed his hands around his small waist as if he feared dropping him by accident._

 _Edward let out a large, childish grin. He couldn't remember the last time his father held him. His whole body trembled with childlike joy. Who could blame him? He couldn't remember the last time his father picked him up, even if his grip was uneasy and unsure._

 _His sister crawled onto their father's shoulder while their mother tenderly held their infant baby brother. They were one big, happy blonde family. All smiles and sunshine with no worry in the world as the photographer took their family picture._

 _At least… That's what Ed thought._

* * *

 _Now a little bigger, Edward and Alphonse sadly and dejectedly stood outside of the cracked door of their father's study watching the man on the desk, focusing on his research._

 _Ever since their family photo, Hohenheim has been crammed inside his study reading those books of his. Ed and Al never understood why. Why won't daddy play with them anymore? What was he doing that was so important that he would isolate himself in his room?_

 _Trisha and Naruko had left to go someplace, leaving the boys alone with their father. The boys were feeling extremely agitated and bored. When was their mother going to bring big sister back, so she could play with them?_

* * *

 _Edward may be only four, but he was more perceptive than most kids his age. His sister was starting to act strangely. There was nothing noticeable about her, but she seemed more tense and...sad for some reason._

 _He wondered if it was because dad was no longer with them. That bastard walked out on them almost year ago. He noticed how much Hohenheim's absence has affected their mother. Trisha tries to act like nothing was wrong, trying to strong for her kids, but they knew she was a little heartbroken from her husband's disappearance._

 _Edward would never forgive his father for leaving them. Hurting him was one thing, but hurting his mother was another. He hated the sad look on his mother's face. So it wasn't after their father walked out on them that Ed and Al tried to study alchemy. They were hoping to find the reason for why he left, and also keep their mother happy._

 _He remembered the first time he and Alphonse performed it. His mother smiled brightly, showering them with praises. Naruko tried to see if she could do alchemy as well, but it was too complicated for her to understand. Although, she was a bit jealous that her two younger brothers could do something so cool that she couldn't, she couldn't be any prouder of them._

 _Now it was Edward's turn to be worried about her. Through, the cracked door of her room, he could see his sister staring sadly off into space. Peeking in further, he could see Naruko was actually staring at the small wooden horse he and Al alchemically made for her for her last birthday present. He remembered how happy and proud she was of them because of how much their alchemy improved in just a few months, slobbering them with kisses and hugs, much to Alphonse's delight while Edward groaned in disgust yet secretly happy._

 _He frowned. So...why? Why was she crying while staring at it? It both shocked and hurt Edward to see the shimmer of barely controlled tears in his sister's blue orbs, sticking against her long eyelashes. It was rare for her to cry. His sister never cries even when she broke her ankle when she fell off the tree that time after helping their mother pick some apples for her apple pie later that night. Why was she crying now? Did she not like wooden horse, after all?_

 _The door squeaked louder as Ed tried to shove himself closer. The noise the door made caused Naruko to whip her head around to see her little brother standing there, a look of confusion, worry, anger glowing in his golden eyes. She knew where that anger was directed at. Their father. She knew about the bitter resentment Edward held for Hohenheim for leaving them and causing a small painful rift in their family._

" _Ed?" Naruko spoke, questionably. "What are you doing in my room? You should be in bed?" She hopped out of her bed, clad in yellow pajamas, rushing towards him._

" _Sister, why are you crying?" Edward asked, skipping straight to the point. He charges at headfirst at the center of his concerns, no sense of tact at his young age. Golden eyes stared into his big sister's own blue ones, face twisting into one worried-driven confusion and painstaking sadness._

 _Naruko blinked once then twice before her face contorted into a wide smile. "Did I worry you, Ed?" she asked, cheekily. "Sorry about that." She affectionately rubbed his head._

 _Edward frowned even more. He knew his sister was deliberately avoiding his question. He clenched his small fist. "Is it dad?" he growled, lowly._

 _Blonde brows rose in confusion. "Huh?" she said, dumbly._

 _Her younger brother pushed away from her, his expression filled with rage and bitterness at the man who left them. "Are you crying because dad's gone?"_

 _Naruko's expression disheartened slightly at the mere mention of their father. Watching Ed's face darken even more, she shook her head. Of course, she was a somewhat saddened by Hohenheim's departure, but...for some reason...she never held it against the man, not like her little brother did. Originally being orphan, she was just have to have someone to call a 'father', even if it was a short while._

 _The older blonde shook her head, vigorously. "Ed, why do you hate dad so much?"_

 _Edward gritted his teeth, golden eyes gleaming with rage. "The bastard ditch us!" he yelled, furiously._

 _Naruko frowned at that. She could perfectly understand her younger brother's bitterness towards their absent father, but having an absent dad was better than having no dad at all. At least, Hohenheim was alive somewhere._

 _Ed watched as his sister gently stroke his cheek, blue eyes softened. "Ed, you shouldn't be angry at dad all the time," she advised, softly._

" _Why shouldn't I?" he argued, heatedly. "He doesn't care about us!" His whole body shook, golden eyes glancing at the floor, pain and sadness reflecting in them. "He doesn't love us," he mumbled out, dejectedly._

 _Seeing how hurt her brother was, Naruko pulled him into a hug, softly stroking the back of his head in a soothing manner. "Edward, father didn't leave because he hates us, dattebayo. I'm sure dad loves us, cherishes us." The Uzumaki would never forget the heartbroken expression Hohenheim wore as he walked out the door, suitcase in hand._

" _I'm pretty sure dad didn't really want to leave us," she continued._

" _Then why did he?" Edward's pained voice was muffled by her shirt._

 _Sadly, Naruko couldn't answer that because she doesn't know the reason for their father's disappearance. She didn't know what to say to justify it, or even if she should justify a man leaving his wife and kids behind._

 _There was only one thing she could say._

" _Remember, Ed, no matter what, dad had always and would always love us. Bonds aren't destroyed that easily. I'm pretty sure mom and dad love each other very much."_

 _He pulled away from her slightly, desperately staring into her eyes. "Then why does mom get sad whenever dad's name is brought up?" he asked, pleadingly, silently waiting for his sister's answer._

 _There was short pause as Naruko contemplated her answer. Her blue eyes drifted out towards the window, staring at the moonlit night. She swallowed a thick lump in her throat, her heart twisting painfully in her chest._

" _Sometimes, dear little brother… Sometimes love is painful. Sometimes a person has to make sacrifices because they love someone and hold them very dear to their heart. And if you could overcome that agonizing pain, then you know that your love is real."_

 _Edward didn't realize at that moment that Naruko wasn't just speaking about their father, but about herself as well. Childishly oblivious to his older sister's soon to be departure._

* * *

" _Ow!" Edward squeaked out, painfully as he was hit by a wench. He glared up at his blonde haired friend. "What was that for, Winry?"_

 _Winry huffed. "Stop acting like such a jerk, you alchemy freak!"_

 _Naruko shook her head in amusement as her younger brother and friend argue, heatedly. Alphonse clutched the back of her blue shirt, watching them both wary, gold eyes._

 _This simple fight of many started because Winry wanted Naruko to braid her hair. Edward sneered at the request with disgust at doing something so..._ girly _, and jealousy at the young blonde preoccupying his older sibling's time._

 _Naruko mused at that. Edward had always been jealous of anyone grabbing her attention away from him, even Winry and Alphonse. She remembered fondly at how Ed would angrily pout when Al scraped his knee, forcing his sister to tend wounds while mother was busy making dinner, completely unaware._

 _He even went as far as to deliberately injure himself, so her attention would be drawn from Al to Ed. The oldest blonde sibling had felt an extreme sense of happiness at how much Ed and Al adored her. Always begging, pleading for their sister to play with them whenever she wasn't busy helping mom with chores. It was so favorably different from the blank, unfeeling stares she used to get her orphanage._

 _Naruko was snapped out of her musings when Winry struck Edward on the head with another, indignantly calling him 'a stupid jerk'. She wholeheartedly_ loved _her adopted family! She wouldn't trade them for anything else in the world!_

* * *

 _Edward and Alphonse stood out the kitchen doorway, scared and worried. Their sister was in the other side talking with mom. They couldn't make out the words that were being said, but sounds of distraught, hurt, and terror were clear._

" _Brother, what do you think sister is talking about with mom?" Al asked, nervously._

 _Ed shook his head, sadly. "I don't know, Al." He was frightfully worried. What was mom discussing with their sister about that she needed to rush him and Al into bed early just so they wouldn't hear?_

" _Did you think it has something to do with why mom leaves with sister sometimes?" His little brother's trembling voice broke Edward out of his depressive thoughts._

" _Where do you think they go, Al?" Ed asked, his younger brother._

 _The boy of four pondered this immediately. "It has been somewhere really secretive and girly if mom can't bring us," Al concluded._

 _Ed blech at that. "Well, if mom wants to spend some girl time with big sister, then we shouldn't stop her," he answered, phasing his words with much more tact than he would discussing about Winry than with Trisha._

 _Edward and Alphonse jumped slightly in surprise as the kitchen door swung open to reveal a tear stricken Naruko. Fretful and distressed, Ed and Al rushed to her side._

" _Sister, what's wrong?"_

" _Why are you crying?"_

 _Hearing her brothers distraught and worried voices, Naruko bit the inside of her lips to keep herself from breaking down in front of them._

" _Ed. Al. There's something...I have to tell you," Naruko spoke, quietly. She couldn't stop herself from trembling, her voice hoarse from her nonstop crying._

" _What is it?" her two younger brothers asked, eager and scared. Does it have something do with why their sister was crying?_

 _She mumbled something quietly under her breath. So quiet that Ed and Al couldn't hear._

" _Huh?" Twin pair of blond brows furrowed in confusion, trying to strain their ears to hear sister's barely contained voice._

 _Two words broke the boys._

" _I'm leaving."_

* * *

 _Naruko was packed and ready to go, despairingly ready to leave her family and return to her place of birth for who knows how long. She was spotted by an upset Alphonse. The look of heartbreak on his face was truly agonizing._

 _Small padded feet rushed towards her, hand clinging desperately at her shirt. "Please, big sister! Don't go!" Alphonse sobbed._

 _The older blonde shook her head, soberly. "I can't."_

" _Why? Do you really have to leave?"_

" _Sorry, Al," Naruko replied, softly, trying to remain strong. "But I… I really have to go." She gave him a reassuring smile. "I promise to come back someday."_

" _Don't even bother!" A different furious voice rang out. Both Naruko and Alphonse turned their heads to see Edward standing there in the hallway, little hands balled into angrily trembling fists. "We don't need you! You're abandoning us just like dad did!"_

 _Al gasped at the harshness of Ed's declaration. "Ed!" he cried out in disbelief._

 _Naruko smiled, bitterly. She was expecting this sort of hostility from Edward. While Al had been pleading nonstop for her to stay, Ed had been avoiding her all week, sending her an occasional enraged and resentful glare everytime their paths crossed. It broke her heart see her dear little brother who absolutely adored her suddenly wanted nothing to do with her._

 _She reached out towards him and softly and affectionately patted his head like she used to do. But instead of the usual happy grin she always received, a vicious growl erupted from Edward's throat as he angrily slapped her hand away as if it was contaminated._

" _Stop it! Just leave already!"_

 _Blue eyes saddened immensely when Ed furiously refused to look at her. Naruko sighed dejectedly._

 _She grabbed her bag and headed out the door, ignoring Al's cries and pleads for her not to leave._

 _Closing the door behind her, Naruko finally let out the silent, depressive sobs she was desperately holding in._

* * *

 **(A/N: That's it for the first chapter! I really hoped you liked it! Wow, I'm getting really good at these introductory chapters. I remember I used to suck at them. Anyway, I think I already said everything I needed to say in the beginning of the story. Once again, the story this time is a Naruko/Sasuke one. I honestly wanted to post this before my other Naruto/FMA crossover, but things happen and plot bunnies roam free. I may be working on this more than the other one since this plot came first, and I have more ideas for this than the Naruko/Hino one. Well, please leave any suggestions, comments, and questions in a review, and thanks for reading!)**


	2. The Fullmetal's Sister

**(A/N: Here's chapter two! Since the story is doing** _ **so**_ **well, I decided to get started on the next chapter. I-I don't know what to say…! I'm just so overjoyed! I just hope not to disappoint. Well, enjoy!)**

* * *

The Fullmetal's Sister

"Ah! It's been _so_ long since I set foot here!"

A woman with long, blonde hair with pieces braided on both side of her face that led into a neat bun with her bangs framing her face stepped onto the Resembool train platform. She had a slightly tanned complexion, striking blue eyes, and pair of whisker like birthmarks on each side of her smooth, flawless face. She wore an orange jacket with a white sash belt tied around the waist. It had stripes of black around the hems, sleeves, and waistline. She sported a black, slitted, short skirt and a pair black leggings underneath, and a pair of short heeled, black sandals adorned her feet.

She yawned and stretched her aching limbs. As much as she missed train rides, sitting on one spot for days on end could really tighten the muscles, especially since she's used to constant daily physical activities.

The young woman smiled to herself. "I wonder how Ed, Al, and Winry are doing." Her expression saddened a bit, remembering the last time she ever stepped foot in Resembool.

She slapped her cheeks together to perk herself up. No use of getting depressed over old memories. Time to hit the road!

* * *

Winry, a young blonde girl of sixteen, was cleaning up the mess of her workshop. She had to do three day rush hour job for Ed's automail because the stupid fool went and broke his.

"It's always so lively when those two are here," Winry mused, smiling fondly to herself.

Her face then contorted into a small frown. Everytime she thought about Edward and Alphonse and everything they are going through to just be normal again, a huge pang of sadness gripped her heart.

Those boys have lost their entire family. In only a span of a few years. Their father left them, their older sister disappeared on them, saying there was somewhere she needed to be, and their mother died of illness. All they had left was each other. It was truly saddening.

Winry wiped away the tears that were threatening to spill out. She snapped herself out of her upsetting thoughts when she heard Den's happy barks. Something good must have caught her attention.

She walked outside her workshop and went towards the front door.

"What is it, Den?" she asked her pet, knowing that the dog won't respond to her.

But what she saw made her blue eyes widen in disbelief, tears threatening to pour out. An overwhelming sense of nostalgia and happiness swell inside her, so much so that it was on the brink of bursting into a swirling volcano of hopeful ecstasy and coveted, blossoming warmth.

"Naruko?!" Winry's voice trembled, the uncertainty could be felt from miles away. The aforementioned woman was being smothered with kisses, courtesy of an overjoyed Den.

When the older girl heard her name, she turned her gaze towards the mechanic and waved her hand, enthusiastically. "Yo, Winry! Long time no see, dattebayo!"

Winry felt like her heart was going to burst. It really was her!

Naruko was back!

* * *

"Oh, dattebayo! I missed your cooking so much, granny!" Naruko shouted, happily as she scarfed down a plate of spaghetti and meatballs.

"It's here for you anytime, Naruko," Granny Pinako replied with a faint, nostalgic smile.

The blonde woman nodded her head, still diligently slurping on the noodles.

Winry took the time to stare at her long lost friend. It's been over ten years since she's last seen the girl. She took in her appearance and clothing. The clothes Naruko were pretty casual while have their own 'Naruko' taste. Hint, hint. The orange coloring. Even though, they weren't far off from being clothes that could pass in Amestris, but they also some sort of foreign taste to it.

Though, the blonde mechanic could definitely see how much Naruko's body had grown. She had a very well endowed and curvaceous figure. Athletic and slim. The body of a mature, tomboyish woman, unlike her brash childlike self of the past.

As Winry was watching her, Naruko was busy analyzing the girl's features from the corner of her eyes. The crybaby that used to follow her around sure did turn out to be a passionate, confident young woman. She also really filled out quite nicely in some places. Not as much as her, but still enough to be called a lovely young girl.

"So, Naruko?"

Naruko hummed a bit before turning her attention towards Winry. The younger girl's sharp gaze told her that she was about to ask her a serious question. A hundred percent likely to be why she left all those years ago. And there was no way she's leaving out of this one.

"Where were you?" the blonde mechanic asked, sternly. "When you left all you said was that you had somewhere to be."

The older woman let out a nervous chuckle while scratching the back of your head. Boy, how was she going to explain this? She couldn't say she was dragged by back home because of a demon fox dwelling inside, became a ninja, a deadly assassin, was chased around by an international criminal organization known as the Akatsuki, participated in a _gruesome war_ and became recognized and famous as the Heroine of the Fourth Great Ninja War all across the Elemental Continent, and dreams to becoming the leader of her hometown village, the Hokage, which is not that far off.

She shook her head. No, she couldn't tell Winry that. The story would seem incredibly unrealistic and absurdly farfetched. Plus, she didn't want to meet a wrench to the face. That's Ed's job.

"I… I had to return to my place of birth," Naruko finally answered. "They didn't like that I left, even if I was just a baby."

"Then why didn't you ask for permission to stay with Ed and Al?" Winry shot back, suspiciously.

Damn. When did Winry get so sharp?

"Well, the elders of my hometown are very strict. Nobody is allowed to leave until they are eighteen." Half truths are better than lies.

Blue eyes stared into blue eyes as the blonde mechanic contemplated her older friend's words. She slowly nodded her head, seeming to accept that explanation.

The Uzumaki let out a sigh of relief.

"What happened to your hand?"

Naruko instantly froze at the question. She bit the inside of her lip, painful memories flooding. Why did Pinako have ask that question? She was hoping that both granny and Winry would be too unwilling to pry into her personal life to ask why are right hand was covered in bandages, for fear of upsetting her after being away for so long.

Naruko was unable to respond. What the hell could she say?! She couldn't say she had fight with her rival turned best friend turned evil to decide the fate of world. And the battle ended up costing both their arms as a tragic yet lucky result.

"I… I was in an accident," she half lied. "Don't worry, it's nothing serious."

Winry and Pinako didn't believe her for a second, but decided to let it slide. For now.

"Are you planning to visit your younger brothers?" Pinako opted to change the topic.

"Oh, yes! Dattebayo!" Naruko beamed, fondly. "I haven't seen them since they were little kids following me around everywhere. I wonder how those two idiot brothers of mine are doing?"

"They are probably in Central now," Pinako answered her, taking a smoke out her pipe. "They said something about doing some research at the library." She huffed out a small smoke, eyes grazing critically at Naruko. "They tend to travel around a lot."

Something flickered in Naruko's blue eyes. A fluid of emotions a keen to guilt, hurt, and sadness. "Yeah, I heard." On her way here, Naruko heard rumors about the famous Fullmetal Alchemist, Hero of the people, Elric brothers, whatever people wanted to call them. She wasn't interested in rumors like that. What she was most curious about was the description of the two boys. Two brothers, but one had automail limbs and the other was dressed in a giant suit of armor.

"That's the whole point of why I came here," the Uzumaki said, admittedly. "It's been ten years since I've last seen Ed and Al. I just want to see how they are doing." She sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "Although, I have no idea what to say to them, or even what to do when I see them."

Naruko knew Edward was furious with her for walking out on them, just like their father. It's not like she had a choice in the matter. Like her brothers, she didn't know why she had to return back to her village. It wasn't until a few years later that she found out why the Elders were so adamant about her return. She was the jinchuuriki of Kurama, the Nine Tailed Fox.

The Uzumaki clenched her hand over her stomach. Those first few years living back in Konoha were a living nightmare filled with pain and loneliness. It hurt even more to know what it was like to be cared for and loved, only for it to turn into resentment and hatred in just a few short days.

She was so glad that she didn't bring Ed and Al with her. She didn't want them to suffer because of her. Thinking about the family and friends she had here, waiting for her return one day, helped her pushed through all the pain and agony. If not that, she would have turned rogue long ago.

"Naruko! Naruko!"

"Huh?" Naruko blinked her eyes and glanced over at Winry, who was looking at her with concern. Was she that loss in thought?"

"What's wrong?" Winry asked. "You kind of space out there."

"Oh… I-I was just thinking about the last time I saw Edward and Alphonse," Naruko half lied. "Our parting wasn't really...the happiest." She gave a bittersweet. "I mean, Al couldn't stop crying and Ed was so angry with me, he wouldn't speak to me at all. I want to see them, but I don't really expect them to forgive me."

"Naruko…" the mechanic began, blue eyes shimmering with sympathy.

The blonde older woman shook her head. "I know, dattebayo. I was a lousy sister, leaving them like that." Her face then set into puzzled gaze. "By the way, what happened to our house. When I went over there, everything was burnt to the ground. What happened?"

Both Pinako and Winry gave her saddened and regretful looks, which made Naruko's guilt worsen. Something happened while she was away. Something terribly tragic.

Blue eyes narrowed with suspicion and anger. "Something happened. Tell me." Simple words, but she said it with so much inner fury. If someone had hurt her dear little brothers, there was going to be hell to pay.

Finally it was Pinako who spoke. "I don't think it's our place to tell," she started, solemnly. "But I would say this much… After you left Ed became a State Alchemist. He and Al burnt down the house as symbol of their resolve not turn to back."

A frown formed on the whiskered woman's face. "That wasn't resolve. They were running away," she mumbled under her breath.

"Huh? What'd you say, Naruko?" Pinako asked, voicing her confusion.

Naruko let out a lopsided grin, waving her hands in front of her. "Nothing, dattebayo!"

The elder Rockbell stared at her for few seconds then nodded her head, seeming to let it go.

The Uzumaki let out a silent breath of relieve before her face turned grin. She knew Granny Pinako and Winry were staying silent about Edward and Alphonse. They didn't tell her everything, but they did say was more than enough for to pick up on.

Being a ninja, Naruko was keen on gathering information from what was and wasn't said. Although, she wasn't as sharp, perceptive, or have cunning deductive skills like Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei, or Shikamaru, she isn't that dimwitted either.

Something happened to Ed and Al while she was away. Something terrifying enough to cause them to burn down their house and run away. Even worse, to make her younger brother join the Amestris Military as a State Alchemist.

And now, Naruko knows her brother… She knows Ed. He had never once cared about the military when they were little. So why was he a State Alchemist? Many scenarios raced through her head for the various reasons for why her little, hotheaded brother would join the army. The one reason that stuck out the most and seemed the most reasonable was because he was hoping to gain something out of it.

The Uzumaki pursed her lips, pondering this for a moment. She had heard that State Alchemist get accessed to top secret research material that's unavailable to the public. However, she also didn't think that was enough to garner Edward's attention. Ed wasn't the type of person who mindlessly obey over some petty papers.

Naruko felt a tinge of sadness, hurt, and guilt. Did her leaving really affected Edward and Alphonse that much? The stronger the love, the stronger the hate would be when that love is loss. That notion was something she learned growing up as a ninja. Almost every villain she encountered were motivated by their 'loss of love'. Whether, it'd be familial, platonic, or romantic love, it was all the same.

Naruko held back a sigh. No use on dwelling on it. It is what it is.

"So, Naruko?"

The Uzumaki snapped out of her stifling musings to turn her attention towards Winry.

"When are you leaving?" Winry asked, frowning. Naruko had to resist the urge to giggle as she saw trinkle of tears at the corner of her blue eyes. There's the crybaby Winry she used to know.

The older blonde pondered this for a brief moment. "I'll probably leave first thing in the morning."

"What?!" the mechanic exclaimed in disbelief. "I haven't seen you in ten years, and this is how you leave? God! You're worse than Ed and Al!"

The Uzumaki gave a sheepish laugh. "I'm sorry," she responded, awkwardly. She tilted her head towards Pinako. "Where's the bathroom? I'm going to go take a shower then visit mom's grave afterwards."

The elder Rockbell nodded her head before giving Naruko directions to the bathroom, which the blonde ninja graciously accepted.

* * *

Naruko entered the bathroom and closed the door. Once locked, she headed over to the bathtub to get the water running. She stripped herself out of her clothes, pieces of articles falling on the floor one by one to slowly reveal the body of a beautiful, curvaceous woman.

However, her body wasn't completely flawless, devoid of all blemishes or injury. First, there was her obvious bandaged right arm. Since there was nothing covering it, it revealed just how much of arm were wrapped in white bandages, and that was most of arm. The only skin that could be seen were the area her right shoulder. Even if one were to remove the white wrappings, they would see that it wasn't her arm at all. The skin was horribly pale white color in contrast to her normally slightly tanned one. Luckily, the wrappings were not that easy to remove as they were glued to her prosthetic arm with some sort of sealing jutsu. Makes the First Hokage's, Hashirama Senju, cells more controllable, so it doesn't easily overwhelm her.

Another marking on her skin that stood out was fist sized scar on the left side of her chest just above her breast. She sunk herself deeper in the water to hide the scar. A huge tinge of sadness and betrayal also tightens around her chest, her heart everytime she looks at the wound. It was the same injury she received from Sasuke's Chidori during their first battle at the Final Valley during their preteen years. Although, she managed to deflect the blow from her heart, it still hit her lung, damaging a vital organ. If it wasn't for Kurama, she would've been dead.

Even so, even if Sasuke, throughout his years as a rogue ninja, had caused her a tremendous and heartbreaking amount of emotional and physical pain, she still couldn't bring herself to hate him. People would start to think she was some type of masochist, chasing after a guy that tried to kill her several times.

But giving up on him was unacceptable. Sasuke was her best friend, someone she has an unbreakable bond with, someone who shares her pain of solitude. Giving up on him is no different than giving up on herself.

" _I'll save Sasuke."_

Those are the words Naruko promised, words that she etched onto her soul. At first those words were simply spoken to her other teammate Sakura to help the pink haired kunoichi ease her pain. However, deep down, it was really meant to dull the pain her heart. The pain of betrayal and heartbreak that twisted painfully in her heart.

Four years… It took four years, a war, and a fight to the death to make the stupid Uchiha come back to his senses.

"Stupid Sasuke…" Naruko grumbled as she got out of the tub and began drying herself with the towel. "He's such an idiotic, hot headed bastard thinking he could shoulder everything on his own." She let a happy smile grace her lips. "At least, he's back. I wonder what he's doing now?"

* * *

After getting fully dressed, Naruko decided to visit her mother's grave with Den marching by her side. The blonde took the route with fewer people. She didn't want any of the locals to notice that she was here. She wished that she could just run across the trees and rooftops, but she couldn't. Not with Den happily paddling by her side. And Den was no ninja dog, not like Akamaru or Kakashi-sensei's summonings, so Naruko was just having to take a leisurely walk through the road, trying to as noticeable as possible.

The blonde kunoichi finally made it to the cemetery. She walked through all the tombs, studying all the names until her blue eyes landed on specific one.

'Trisha Elric, 1878-1904. Beloved wife and mother.'

Naruko felt a series of different as she stared, dejected at the tomb before her. Regret, longing, sadness, and love. A small torrent of emotional current swirled around her. She heard from one of younger brother's letter that her foster mother died of illness. That was around the time Granny Tsunade was appointed as Fifth Hokage. She wondered if she had snuck out and brought Trisha to the Leaf, would Tsunade be able to cure her sickness? Then her mom wouldn't have died. She would've been able reunite her now and see her beautiful smiling face along with teen versions of Edward and Alphonse now.

" **Don't beat yourself over something that happened in the past, Naruko,"** Kurama's voice rang inside her mind. **"It's not like you could have prevented her death."**

Naruko frowned. "But I could have brought her to the village to help her."

" **And you think you would've been allowed to leave the village to someplace far away, especially the fact it's not even in the Elemental Nations?"** the fox replied back, sarcastically.

The blonde kunoichi remained silent, knowing that the fox was right. With her status as a jinchuuriki, there's no way they would have let her leave the continent. It was because she was a jinchuuriki that she was forcibly brought back in the first place.

Blue eyes glanced down at the tomb before her. She took a deep breath, and told her deceased adopted mother everything. She told her about her days in the Academy and her rivalry with Sasuke and Iruka-sensei. She spoke about how she ended up on the same team as him, another girl named Sakura Haruno who was infatuated with him, and a laidback jonin teacher, Kakashi Hatake, who was always late to their meetings and eventually became the Sixth and current Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village. Naruko discussed her first serious mission to escort a bridge builder, Zabuza and Haku, and how they mission changed everything for her. She told about the Chunin Exams and the other Rookie Nine, and how excited and anxious she felt to match up her strengths against other worthy contenders. Unfortunately, there was an attack on the village, so the rest of the exam was cancelled. After that, the blonde woman explained how she meet Jiraiya, one of the three legendary sannin, who was a super pervert, but also really powerful and reliable. She ended up going on journey with him to meet Tsunade, another of the sannin, so the older woman could become the Sixth Hokage, since the Third Hokage was killed by Orochimaru, the last of the sannin.

Despairingly, she told a deceased Trisha about how she got into a really bad fight with Sasuke, and how, unbeknownst to her at the time because she was way to childish and naive, that Sasuke ran away from the village and became a rogue ninja to join up with Orochimaru. She tried hard to stop him, but all she was left with was a crushing defeat and broken heart. She voiced her regret about how she knew how alone he was, how she knew he was probably traumatized over the massacre of his entire family, but she just so jealous at the time. He was so _good_ at everything he did. She admired him and declared he was her role model that she wanted surpass one day. If she wasn't so stupidly childish, Naruko would've seen the darkness growing inside Sasuke's heart day by day. She pretended she understood him, but, in reality, she didn't understand a single about him. She projected her own false image onto him, expecting him to live up to her expectations without worry. How stupid and selfish was she to just assume that everything would remain fine? Even Sakura knew that something was wrong with Sasuke before she even did. She was so very, very stupid.

Naruko declared how she went on the a three year long training journey with Jiraiya to become strong enough to bring Sasuke back to the village and stand up against the Akatsuki, a group powerful S-class rogue ninjas, who are after jinchuuriki like her, people who house a Tailed Beast inside their body. She spoke about the sorrow and anguish she felt when Jiraiya died, her Sage training, and Pain's attack on the Leaf. Naruko detailed the overwhelming, breathless joy, exhilarating happiness, and all the pent up sadness and turmoil she felt when finally met her birth parents, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and his wife, Kushina Uzumaki. Well, their spirits anyway.

After that, came the Fourth Great Shinobi War. It was a war that decided the fate of the shinobi world. Lots of people, so many ninjas sacrificed their lives for the sake of the world. She told of pain and suffering she felt at seeing her comrades' deaths. But the confidence and happiness as she felt fighting by her friends was even more powerful. It was the reason she was able to keep going. And letting guys like Madara and Kaguya run freely was _not_ an option! She couldn't let those fiends lay a hand on her little brothers!

Naruko that there was soft tears streaming down her face as she told her deceased adopter mother about the many adventures she went. The pain and sorrow of feeling someone close to her suffer, the tragedy of war, and most of all, the joy and happiness she felt throughout her life as a ninja.

When she was a little girl forcibly returning to the village, the blonde Uzumaki dreaded it with every fiber of her being. The cold glares, sneers of disgust, blatantly being ignored… A part often wondered how long it was before she snapped. And she would have to, if not for Iruka-sensei, and for that, she's forever grateful to her old Academy teachers and his heartfelt, encouraging words.

Den let out a low whine as she licked the tears away, causing Naruko to giggle slightly. "I'm okay, girl, I'm okay!" The blonde woman softly patted the dog's head. "I guess seeing mom again brought up some old feelings."

She stood up on her legs, staring out into the distance. More precisely, at the house where she used to live with her adopted family. Or what was supposed to be her old family home. There was nothing broken woods and the scorched grassland around the area.

"Alright. Let's go see what my two little brothers were hiding."

* * *

Five minutes later, Naruko made it to the rumble of her old home.

 **"Something smells suspicious, Naruko,"** Kurama spoke, cautiously.

Naruko had to agree. She had ominous, foreboding sensation echoing the further she went into her home. Even Den's whines were an indicator that something gruesome and horrifying happened here while she was gone.

The blonde kunoichi began moving and kicking away each rubble. The closer she got, the more the smell of decay and dried blood penetrated her nostrils. Her eyebrows furrowed as across the area of what seemed like dusty, white chalk of what she guessed of deformed Transmutation Circle with all the missing lines and faded designs and patterns. However, what got the jinchuuriki's attention were the blotches of dried caked blood all over the floor.

It didn't take a genius to know that something horrific happened. Naruko bit the inside lip as a tinge of guilt pounded against her heart. The sense of decay was strong. Whatever her brothers did was buried underneath here. Especially since the ground had been dug up not to long ago. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding as she began digging away at the ground using wind chakra. Den tilted her head in confusion before trotted over to the spot Naruko was digging at. She gave it an experimental sniff before using her front paws to help remove the dirt.

Naruko knew what that circle meant. She had hoped to high heaven that her brothers wouldn't do anything extremely crazy. Unfortunately, she could understand why Edward and Alphonse would to be tempted to perform the dreaded, forbidden Human Transmutation. Grief could drive the sanest to the darkest pits of despair and insanity. Sasuke is a prime example. He was a happy and quiet child before the slaughter of his family. The whole incident turned him to an extremely introverted, revenge obsessed, international criminal. She could only hope that her brothers turned out a little better than Sasuke.

The blonde kunoichi finally uncovered something. She used her bare hands to quickly remove the dirt from to get a better look. Her blue eyes lowered in sadness and regret. What she found was a piece of bone and a strand of _black_ hair. Not brown.

 _This was not mom_!

Whoever this person was, _was not Trisha Elric_!

Naruko bit her lips so hard that a trickle of blood started to flow out. She clutched the chest where her heart laid, as if trying to keep it from bursting from the raw ache she was feeling. Ed and Al have probably spent years figuring out Human Transmutation, only to realize all of their efforts were a total waste of time.

Did they know what the made was not mom? Or did they did flee in fright before confirming anything.

She balled her hands into fists. If only she was here… If only she was here, as their big sister, she could have stopped them from making this mistake.

* * *

"Well, I'm off to see my idiot brothers," Naruko replied, happily. She was already packed and ready to board the train.

"I don't see you for ten years, Naruko, and this is how you leave?!" Winry cried in frustration.

The older blonde woman sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "I'm sorry?"

The blonde mechanic sighed. "You really are worse than Ed and Al."

"I wanted to see Edward and Alphonse while they are still in Central," Naruko explained. "Who knows where my wayward brothers wind up next? I'll miss my chance to see them!"

Both Winry and Pinako had anime sweat drops at the Naruko's dramatics.

"Well, don't try to destroy too much of Central," Pinako said with a smile.

"Don't forget to visit us sometime! Okay, Naruko?" Winry proclaimed, tearfully.

Naruko smiled, nostalgically. Now, there's the crybaby Winry she missed. She gave both the Rockbells a hug. "Thanks for letting me stay. It was nice seeing again, Winry, Granny."

"You're welcome back anytime, Naruko," the elderly Rockbell replied.

The blonde kunoichi removed herself and began boarding the train. "Well, bye!" She waved goodbye to them as they said their goodbyes back.

Once they were out of sight, Naruko went to take her seat. "Now, let's see what my two idiot brothers have been doing all these years."

* * *

 **(A/N: Here's the second chapter. This chapter is just more and less Naruko, after ten years, finally coming back to Resembool. Honestly, this is chapter is** _ **way**_ **longer than I thought. There were some scenes I wanted to write… Like, Pinako overhearing Naruko's conversation at Trisha's grave and all the shit she went through when she left. But then I thought, nah. The first people who should hear the truth are Edward and Alphonse, however, that won't be for a while. The next chapter would focus on Ed and Al.**

 **Anyway, I wanted to hurry and post this is chapter up because school is going to start in a few days. So I've been busy lately. The 'back to school' craze. Hm, the point I'm trying to make is… One, For those of you wanted for a new chapter of 'The Flower Princess and the Alchemist'... Fear not, I'm working on it. Got my muse back! Hooray! But unfortunately, you are going to have to wait a while for it. Like I said, school. Got to get adjusted to it. But if I find time to write, I** _ **will**_ **write. Don't worry. Just a wait few more weeks, a month at the latest. I'll have the next for 'The Flower Princess and the Alchemist' posted. Unless, I post another one-shot.**

 **Well, leave any comments, questions, and suggestions in a review, and thanks for reading!)**


	3. Shattered Pedestal

**(A/N: Here's another chapter of 'Bonds Are Stronger Than Gold'. Yeah, I know I said I'm going to have a chapter 'The Flower Princess and the Alchemist' up [still working on it], but I still of some chapters idea that I could resist posting more chapters. At least until Sasuke makes his appearance. So anyway, enjoy!**

 **Awesomeness3013: I'm glad you are enjoying the story! Yeah, I've been waiting for 'The Story Untold' to be updated for two and a half years now. I've finally decided to just fuck it and make my own version of 'female Naruto is the adopted older sister of Edward and Alphonse' fanfic. But I really do enjoy their story and wish the author would come out of writer's block and update it soon. At least, I hope they didn't quit writing all together. The writer has not been active for two years now. Well, I hope you would enjoyed this story. You can think of it as an inspired substitute.**

 **Jojotheshadow: Thanks for being my first reviewer for this story!**

 **The Jingo: Oh, my god! Thanks for taking an interest in this fanfic and featuring it on your community! It means so much to me! I've read some of your works and I love them, especially 'Chasing Yesterday'! I read it three times and love it, and I hope you clear your writer's block and update it soon!**

 **Well, thanks to everyone else who have faved, followed, and reviewed the past two chapters, and I hope you enjoy this chapter and all the future ones! Well, go on and read!)**

* * *

Shattered Pedestal

" _Sister! Wait!" A little Edward cried as he ran as fast as his stubby feet could take him. The darkness surrounding him was too great. No matter how hard he tried to catch up to his big sister, the distance between them gets bigger and bigger._

 _Why? Why was his sister leaving him behind? Did he do something wrong? Was he bad?_

" _Sister, please!" Ed wailed. "Wait up! Don't leave me! Sister!"_

* * *

Ed woke up with a start. He wiped away the sweat that were forming on his forehead, taking slow breaths to calm his accelerating heartbeats.

"Brother?"

Ed's golden eyes searched for the hollow like voice of his younger brother, who sitting against the wall on the far side of the bed he was sleeping on.

"Brother? Did you have a dream?" Al asked him in a worried filled tone.

"Yeah…" Edward clenched his teeth in anger of _who_ he was dreaming about. "I was dreaming about _her_ ," he growled out, lowly.

Alphonse didn't need to say anything. He instantly knew what he meant by 'her'. He sighed and glanced out the window. It was a bright and sunny day. It's been over ten years since they've last seen her.

He could completely understand Ed's anger. Even he gets depressed at times at the mention of their sister.

"What do you want to do, brother?" Alphonse asked, mainly hoping take his older brother's mind off Naruko.

Edward let out a frustrated while scratching the side of his head. "There's nothing to do. Until Sheska finishes recreated Dr. Marcoh's notes, we can't really do anything."

They both sat in silence, contemplating on what to do.

"Well, I'm going to go find something to eat," the elder Elric spoke after a few moments.

Ed didn't wait for his brother to speak as he leisurely climbed out the bed and headed towards the bathroom to take a quick shower.

* * *

It wasn't long before the two brothers found themselves wandering aimlessly through the streets of Central with their two bodyguards, Maria Ross and Denny Brosh, in tow.

Edward decided to take a stop at a nearby cafe.

"So? What do we do now, brother?" Al asked as a plate of bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich, crepe topped with whip cream and syrup, and two coffee mugs were set before them.

The Fullmetal Alchemist paused in his meal for a second to regard his younger brother. Al brought up a legitimate question. What were they supposed to do while they wait for copies of Dr. Marcoh's notes?

He glanced over to his brother to see that he had his head hung down, staring at his lap. Thanks to his armored helmet, Ed couldn't see Al's facial expression. However, Edward had gotten accustomed to Alphonse's moods over the years, and he could vaguely tell that his younger brother was feeling sad, woefully lugubrious.

The blond boy had to bit his lip to keep himself from letting out an angry growl. Why did he have to bring up _her_? He was angry at himself for even mentioning her, but he was _furious_ at his sister for leaving them.

It's been ten years…! Ten _fucking_ years, and they haven't even gotten a single letter from her!

He would never forget the day she left, the day she ripped a hole in the family. After that day, nothing was the same anymore. From playing to eating, there was always this feeling of emptiness that just wouldn't go away, no matter how hard he tried to keep the rest of the family together.

Edward couldn't never understand why. Why would she suddenly leave them like that? Didn't she know how much she hurt Al and made mom suffer?!

Begrudgingly, Ed could admit there was a time where he absolutely loved and adored his older sister, Naruko. However, those feelings died the day she abandoned them. The burning anger, crushing sorrow, and utter disappointment he felt that day drilled a hole inside his heart that thundered ferociously along with the pain of betrayal he suffered because someone so close to him, that he had known his _entire_ life would just abandon him as if all their time together meant nothing to her. The Fullmetal Alchemist became disillusioned of the fact that Naruko was a kind and caring older sister.

He would _never_ forgive her for walking out on them!

He still remember the days where Alphonse would cry nonstop. He even cried himself to sleep sometimes. The thought of it left a bitter taste in his mouth. Nobody messes with his little brother!

(FLASHBACK)

" _Mom? When is big sister coming back?"_

 _Trisha winced at the depressive tone producing from her youngest son's mouth. She sported a smile as she turned to face her sons, who were sitting at the dining table waiting for dinner to be served. She tried to strong for them, no showing her inner turmoil._

" _Al, your sister will come back someday," their mother reassured them._

" _Well? When is_ someday _?" Edward exclaimed, angrily, but Trisha could sense the hurt in his voice. "She's not coming back, is she, mom?" he voiced out, accusingly. "She doesn't care about us, she left us."_

 _The brown haired woman let out a startled gasp at her elder son's accusation. "That's not true, Ed! Your sister loves us very much."_

" _Then why did she leave?"_

 _Trisha stood there frozen at Alphonse's question, unable to form words that would sate her children's hurt and anger._

 _Her lips turned downward into a small frown. "Boys, listen. You're sister is...special."_

 _Ed rose a disbelieving brow. "Special?"_

 _Trisha nodded her head slowly. "Your sister has a lot of...responsibilities. But don't worry, she'd definitely come back one day. One day, when you boys are older, you'd understand."_

 _The brown haired woman stood up from her kneeling position. "I'll better go get dinner." She headed into the kitchen and returned minutes later with bowls of ramen in her hand. "Oh, look at that. Guess, I made Naruko's favorite meal without even thinking."_

 _As she set the bowls down, Edward could see a silver of tear at the corner of his mother's eyelashes. Seeing that made his bite the inside of his lip in anger._

 _He'd never forgive his sister for abandoning them!_

(END OF FLASHBACK)

Ed closed his eyes at the bitter memories.

"Brother?" Al called his name in concern.

The elder Elric sighed and shook his head. "It's nothing, Al. C'mon, let's head to the library. Maybe we'll find something that would help us decode Dr. Marcoh's notes. We'd need all the information we can get on the Philosopher's Stone."

Edward quickly paid for the meal, putting the money on the table, and dashed off without a second thought.

"Hey! Wait for me, brother!" Alphonse called out, chasing after him.

* * *

And here the two brothers were, in the library, looking for anything that might pertain to Dr. Marcoh's research notes. Notes that haven't even looked at yet.

But truthfully, Edward just wanted to go to the library to forget ever recalling his no good sister in that stupid dream. Unfortunately, the exact opposite happened. He couldn't concentrate on the books he was _trying_ to read. Instead his mind drifted towards his...sister.

No! He shouldn't be calling her that. The term 'sister' became unbefitting of her the moment she walked out the door. His thoughts drifted towards _Naruko_. Memories of his time with her invaded his head like a plague. Ever since that dream, he couldn't stop dwelling on memories of his past. His past with _her_.

(FLASHBACK)

" _What are you guys doing?" Naruko asked. She was a middle of doing of her chores when she found her brothers in their dad's study. She put the broom she was holding down, and looked over Ed's shoulder to see what he was reading._

 _Eventually, her face scrunched up in confusion. "I don't understand this mumble jumble, dattebayo. What is this?" she asked, plucking the book from Ed's hands._

 _Edward pouted, annoyed. "Hey, give that back, sister!" He snatched the book back. "And it's not mumble jumble. It's alchemy!"_

 _Sapphire eyes blinked in puzzlement. "Alchemy? What's that?"_

" _Alchemy is a type of science, sister," Alphonse explained._

 _Naruko rose a skeptical eyebrow. "Science? You guys want to be scientist." She let out a snort. "Lame."_

" _Science is not lame!" Ed yelled, indignantly. He looked offended at his elder sister's insult at his passion. "It's awesome! People have used science to create lots of amazing things."_

 _He then sent a glare towards Naruko, but she knew it was a playful, challenging one. "And what do you consider to be not lame?"_

 _The Uzumaki smirked, proudly, pointing a smug finger at herself. "Me, of course!"_

 _Both Ed and Al gave her a look of disbelieve._

" _Sister, sometimes your ego is bigger than your head," Edward sighed, shaking his head._

 _Naruko frowned at that notion. "Oh, yeah?" She charged at Edward, her hands going to his waist, tickling him to death._

" _Stop it, sister!" her younger brother cried between laughs. He was completely at her mercy. "Stop, sister, or I'll tell mom," he threatened, but he didn't sound very convincing between all the laughter and all._

" _I won't stop, Ed," Naruko declared, evilly. "Not until you admit I'm awesome!"_

" _Never!" Ed barely voiced out. He tried using his tiny hands to push his sister off of him, but to no avail. His sister was bigger and stronger than he was._

" _What's going on here?" Just then, Trisha came in through the door. Her curious green eyes gaze around the room to see books scattered across the floor as usual. "I heard Ed screaming from all down the hall." She looked upon her kids to see Alphonse giving her a sheepish smile while Edward and Naruko were engaged in a one sided tickle fight._

" _Okay, that's enough, Naruko. Ed can't breath." Trisha gently lifted her eldest child off of her younger brother._

 _Edward took lots of deep breaths, trying to refill his lungs with oxygen. "Thanks, mom," he wheezed out, breathless. "Sister is evil! She tried to tickle me to death!"_

 _Naruko childishly stuck her tongue out at him. "That's what you get for mocking me."_

 _Edward pouted, angrily, giving her a child like glare in return._

" _Alright, alright, that's enough you two. You shouldn't be fighting" Trisha scolded, lightly. "Naruko return to your chores. Ed, Al, clean up your father's study."_

" _Yes, mom," all three kids said in unison, feeling guilty at being scolded._

* * *

" _What do you mean you're leaving?!" Edward shouted at his sister, his tiny hands balled into angry fists._

 _It was early morning, the day after Naruko announced tearfully announced her departure. Edward was full of doubt, confusion, and pain that he didn't say anything about her leaving when she first told him and Alphonse about it._

 _In fact, he was in complete denial last night. He thought that he misheard or that his mind was playing tricks at him. There was no way his kind and loving older sister was abandoning him. Just no way!_

 _But the more and more he thought about it, the more fearful he became of his worst nightmare coming true. And that fear eventually turned into anger._

 _Why?! Why was she leaving them? What reason could there be? Or was it perhaps Naruko didn't like them anymore?_

 _When he got angry, Ed tended not to think straight. All thoughts of tact and logic were completely thrown out the window. He needed to confront his sister and demand her to tell him why she's leaving._

 _Not to mention, she made Al cry! His younger brother was sobbing despairingly all last night. He cried all throughout the night until he tired himself out. It broke Ed's heart to see his brother in such sorrow and knowing that he was helpless. There was nothing he could say to cheer Al up, no words of comfort he could offer him. How could Edward even comfort him anyway when he was such disarray himself?_

 _Naruko was leaving them, leaving them just like their father!_

 _His blood was boiling with rage, his body trembling with fury, and his heart was thumping violently with painstaking sadness. He had to confront his sister. Waiting this out any longer would drive him mad with grief._

 _That's why the first thing that Edward did when he woke was loo for Naruko. He eventually found her tended to their mother's garden. Without any form of plan, he marched right up to her, which led them to the situation they are currently._

" _Edward…" Naruko's face contorted into one of guilt at seeing the pain and anger in her younger brother's eyes._

" _Tell me why your leaving!" Ed demanded, teeth gritting so hard she could hear them crack._

 _Naruko towards her disheartened gaze away from Edward's accusatory ones. "Edward… That's something I can't tell you." She quickly elaborated her reasoning when she saw Ed's glower. "Remember, Ed, when I told you that there are things people do because they hold something dear?" she spoke, softly. "Well, this is one of those moments. I'm leaving, but don't think I love you guys any less. You guys are very precious to me! One day, I'm sure you'd understand, Edward. And don't worry! I'll be back one day!" she smiled, cheerfully._

 _Edward's bangs shadowed the upper half of his face. "Liar," he breathed, voice inaudible. "You're a liar, Naruko!" he yelled, glaring at his sister with such fury and hate that she took a step back in shock. "If you really loved us, you wouldn't leave us! You made Al and mom cry! You wouldn't have done that if you cared about us!"_

" _Edward…," Naruko uttered, voice filled with hurt. She reached out towards her little brother who flinched away from her as if her touch burned him._

" _No! Go away! I'd never want to see you again!"_

 _With that, Edward angrily stormed away, leaving Naruko alone in the garden. He didn't turn back to realize a single tear falling from his sister's face._

(END OF FLASHBACK)

" _And that's the last time I've spoke to her,"_ Edward thought. His face was contorted into an angry scowl. She left about week later, but during that time, Ed never spoke to his older sister again. How could he? She abandoned them just like _him_! It was few years after that his mom fell sick and died.

"Brother…! Brother!"

Edward yelped, startled out of his musings. He stared up to see his armored younger brother leaning over him. "Al! Don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry, brother, but you were spacing out," Al explained. "I've been standing here for the past two minutes calling you. What were you daydreaming about anyway?"

Ed climbed onto his feet. "Nothing, Al," he said, dismissively.

Alphonse put his hands on his hips, dubious about his brother's behavior. "Is this about sister?" he asked, his tone laced with seriousness and worry at his older brother's strange behavior. "You miss her. I miss her, too, brother. I wonder what she's doing?"

"Who cares about her?!" Edward hissed, vehemently. "She ditched us, Al! If it wasn't for her, then mom would still be alive now!"

"Brother, calm down!" the armored boy whispered back, frantically.

"No, Al! I would not calm down!" the elder Elric refused. He started going off on tangent about what 'terrible' sister they had. Alphonse had to quickly cover Edward's mouth when a few people started to glare at them when they went to investigate what was making all that racket.

"Sorry about that," Al apologized. "Um, go back to your reading." He let out a sigh of relief when, after a few grumblings about 'annoying brats', the onlookers went back to their own business.

Edward just huffed and bristly walked away. No use staying in the library any longer if he couldn't concentrate on what he was reading.

"Brother, wait up!" Alphonse quickly rushed to catch up to him, his feet clanging against the wooden floor. He saw his brother freeze when he stepped outside the door. "What's wrong, Ed?"

Edward's golden eyes were wide with shock and disbelief as he pointed a shaky finger over to where he was looking at. Alphonse trailed his brother's finger and he let out a stunned gasp at the scene. Not the actually scene, but _who_ was in it.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Maria spoke to the young blonde, blue eyed woman in an authoritative manner. "But if I don't know who you are, then I'm afraid we can't let you see Fullmetal. For all we know, you could be here to harm him."

Naruko scoffed, throwing her hands on her hips. "Oh, please. What is he? A child that needs to be babysitted and protected? Oh, right," she swiftly retracted her statement when the black haired woman gave a dubious look.

She forgot that Ed should only be fifteen by now, and, according to this country, that was still considered being a child. She herself is just legal enough to be called an adult here, being eighteen and all.

It's much different than in the Elemental Nations. As soon as she put on her Leaf headband, she was practically considered an adult in most people's eyes. She could already do whatever she wanted, except, you know, doing actual _adult_ things. There was difference between being _treated_ like an adult and _actually_ being an adult.

And in the Warring States Era, as soon as kids were trained decently enough, they were considered an adult by the age of six and sent off to the battlefield to fight in an endless war. No wonder the life expectancy of that time period was barely thirty.

This country was different, so much different.

Naruko opened her mouth to convince the woman to let her see her younger brothers. After all, Pinako told her they would most likely be in the library, and that, thanks to Sage Mode, which she activated and dispelled earlier, she could feel their presence in the building.

She didn't get the chance to though when a couple of frantic voices cut her off.

"Sister?!"

Her blue eyes widened slightly as she trailed her gaze up the top of the steps. Her initial shock disappeared and she let out a bright smile.

"Yo, Ed, Al! Long time no see!"

* * *

 **(A/N: Well, that's the end chapter three of 'Bonds Are Stronger Than Gold'! I hoped you enjoyed it! Well, now Edward and Alphonse have finally had their long awaited reunion with their older sister, Naruko. How would it turn out?**

 **Yeah, I know I said I'll the next chapter of the 'Flower Princess and the Alchemist' up, but I couldn't stop working on this story. I'm sorry for those who are waiting for it. Let me just work on a few more chapters of this story than I'll start focusing on it, okay? I already wrote out of** _ **some**_ **of the next chapter, but it's hard to concentrate when I'm so focused on** _ **this**_ **story.**

 **Well, anyway, leave any questions, comments, and suggestions in a review and thanks for reading!)**


	4. A Siblings' Reunion

**(A/N: Here's chapter four! Naruko finally get her reunion with Edward and Alphonse! How would it turn out? Enjoy!**

 **Awesomeness3013: Thanks for the review! Your curiosity would be answered in this chapter.**

 **NightmareKnight1: Thanks! And, yeah, sorry, I haven't gotten around it editing the story yet. So, please just bare with it. That's all I can say. No everyone is perfect with grammar.**

 **grimlock987: Thanks for reviewing. Yeah, a lot people were suggesting that Naruko should punish Edward and Alphonse for committing the taboo of Human Transmutation. However, Naruko could also partially admit that it's her fault that her brothers' had to go through such desperate measures to stave off their feelings of loneliness and abandonment. So, punishing them would be bit unfair and over the top. And besides, let's leave the punishment to Izumi. She would do more to Ed and Al than Naruko is willing to do. Punishments for Edward and Alphonse are Izumi's job. Or I could just say, I'm going to let Izumi punish the boys instead.)**

* * *

A Siblings' Reunion

"Yo, Ed, Al! Long time no see, dattebayo!"

Edward and Alphonse just stared wide eyed and slack jawed as if they were seeing a ghost.

Was it _her_?

The sunny, blonde hair… The sun kissed skin… Those indistinguishable whisker marks and each side of her face. And that awfully familiar verbal tic.

There was only one person the brothers knew who would have those types of markings.

No doubt about.

It really was her!

Naruko was back!

"Sister?" Al's trembling called out to her, flabbergasted and apprehensively, as if he was afraid that if he called her, she might disappear again like ten years ago. If he had a heartbeat, it'd be thumping so wildly in his chest, he would be able to hear it pounding loudly against his ear.

"Well? What are doing there, standing like a couple of idiots? Come on and greet your older sister!" Naruko shouted, cheerfully, a bright grin on her face, ignoring the Fullmetal's bodyguards shocked stutters.

Alphonse immediately took the initiative and rushed down towards his sister, pulling her into a bone crushing hug. Edward, on the other hand, made no attempt to move. He glared down, hatefully at Naruko, his face set into a deep, angry scowl.

What was she doing here?

He watched as Al talked animatedly or as animatedly as an animated suit of armor could with her, asking her questions after questions. Ed, however, didn't feel the same jubilant happiness at being reunited with Naruko. He marched down the stairs, golden eyes full of contempt.

"Edward!" Naruko called, happily once she saw him approaching them.

The Fullmetal Alchemist sneered and viciously shrugged away her attempts to hug him.

"Is that anyway to treat your elder sibling, you little brat?" Naruko pouted.

Ed's face immediately turned an angry red as tick marks spread across his face. "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING LITTLE?!" He launched at Naruko, trying to punch her face in. She casually sidestepped his attempt though, and watched with amusement as he unceremoniously fell against the pavement.

"Still Ed's trigger word?" Naruko asked her youngest brother.

"Yep," Al replied with a sigh.

"Anyway, Al…" She stared up at him, bright blue eyes taking in his armored form. "Why are you dressed in a suit of armor?"

Al seemed to fidget nervously under his older sister's scrutinizing gaze. "Oh, um, it's comfortably," he replied, lamely.

A slender, blonde eyebrow rose. "Is that so?" Blue eyes scanned his tall, well built armored features. "You've gotten so tall!" She sent a pointed look towards her other brother's way. "Edward! How could you allow yourself to be so much _shorter_ than Alphonse?"

Edward fumed from his spot on the ground. "Shut up!" he yelled, indignantly.

Al chuckled a bit. "Anyway, sister, where have you been all this time?"

Naruko nervously scratched the back of her head. How would she explain this to her brothers? She debated whether to give the same excuse she gave to Winry. However, she knew Ed and Al would not be satisfied with that. They would try to poke holes in her story, especially Edward. He would ask questions after questions until he was completely and utterly satisfied.

"Why are you even here?" Edward snarled.

Naruko ignored his contemptuous tone, and frowned at him. "What? A girl can't visit her younger brothers?" A gaze softened. "I promised I would, didn't I?"

Ed's temper immediately flared, an angry growl escaping from his mouth, lips pulled back into a vicious snarl, ready to rip her a new one. "Yeah, _ten years ago_! You didn't bother to show up for mom's funeral!"

"Brother!" Alphonse softly reprimanded him, keeping him from attacking their sister out of spite.

Edward was glaring at her with so much detest and anger, but she could see it. The pain. The pain swelling deep within his molten golden orbs. It was easy to spot it after going through so much pain herself. Although, she couldn't see Alphonse's face because of his helmet, his body was practically oozing with hurt and sorrow.

Naruko casted her cerulean blue eyes away from her brothers' gazes, and overwhelming amount of guilt gnawing at her heart. "I'm sorry," she apologized, weakly. She inwardly flinched as more guilt ate away at her because, right now, she refused to tell them the truth.

The Uzumaki bravely met her brothers' piercing and pleading stares. She took in a deep breath. She offered a lopsided smile, trying to ease the tension. "What can I say? I got lost on the path of life." She knew she gave such an Kakashi like answer, but it was the vague truth. The truth without the details.

And judging by expressions on Ed's and Al's faces, they weren't the least bit satisfied.

"What the fuck?!" Edward yelled with both rage and disapproval in his voice. His voice was so loud, everyone except Alphonse had to momentarily cover their ears. A small crowd was beginning to gather. "You've been gone for ten years, _ten goddamn years_ , and that's all you could say?!"

Ignoring the crowd of noisy people, Naruko locked her onto Edward's furiously trembling form. It was taken every ounce of his willpower not to pounce on her, she could tell. "What do you expect me to say?" she argued back, however, her voice was awfully quiet, subconsciously placing a hand on her stomach. "It doesn't matter what I say. It doesn't change the fact that I left, dad left, and mom's dead. Nothing I say changes the past, Edward."

With the same hand, Naruko reached out towards him, but quickly retracted it back. "Y-you probably wouldn't want me doing that anymore," she whispered, dejectedly.

Ed could feel the last of his restraint snapping. He was about to offer an angry retort until Al's panicked gasp cut him off.

"Sister! Your hand…!"

Naruko raised a confused eyebrow before a sudden realization dawned on her.

Edward turned his gaze towards Alphonse with a look of puzzlement before turning his attention at Al's source of worry. His attention was immediately to something he was not expecting, Naruko's bandaged right hand.

"What happened to your hand?" Ed asked, plain and simple, more out of curiosity than anything. He tried to keep the concern and worry from his tone, remembering that this was the sister that left. In his opinion, she didn't deserve his sympathy.

"I, uh…" She wracked her brain for a believable, something that would sate Ed's curiosity and Al's worry. "My hand got burned in a house that caught on fire, saving children." Naruko didn't know whether to flinch or pat herself on the back. The excuse was something would do. In fact, she's done a few times during her career as a shinobi. But she's never gotten injured in a house fire. That would be really pathetic of her.

"That's horrible!" Alphonse's frantic voice, pierced through the air. He marched up her, taking in bandaged hand. "You should have a doctor look at it."

'No!" The Uzumaki quickly retracted her hand out of reflex. She knew if she went to the hospital they would try to take off the bandage, or get her to do it thanks to the seals, and reveal the pale prosthetic underneath. Quickly realizing her mistake, she reiterated. "I mean, a doctor had already seen it."

She quickly decided to change the subject upon noticing Edward's scrutinizing eyes. He was definitely suspicious.

"What are you guys doing in Central?" she asked. "Why aren't you back home with Winry and Granny Pinako?"

A foreboding sense of pain, sadness, and regret flooded through the air.

"None of your damn business!" Edward said, bitingly.

With that, he turned on his heels and angrily stomped away. He faintly heard his brother's cries of 'wait up!'. He just had to get away from her! She made him sick to his stomach. The mere sight of her repulses him.

Naruko watched sadly as her brother walked away from her. She saw the two bodyguards giving her minor looks of pity before following after them, but she was hardly paying any attention to them. Hell, she doesn't even know their names.

All she could say was that her reunion with Ed and Al went...better than she thought. Of course it was far from perfect, on the complete opposite side of a perfect, happy reunion, but a happy reunion wasn't really what she was expecting anyway. She just thought...thought there would be shouting, more yelling, and wayward fists thrown here and there. She was more than prepared to let Edward get one free shot at her, even she could easily dodged it, if it would help placate his anger just a tiny bit.

After all, Alphonse had been more or less forgiving towards her. Edward, on the other hand, was obviously not. Naruko smiled, wryly. Well, Ed was one to hold grudges, unlike Al.

She glanced up at the clear, blue sky. She was prepared for the work that was ahead, but she was expecting nothing less. She's been through a lot, Sasuke's betrayal, the Akatsuki, the Fourth Great War… She didn't give up then, and there's no way she's giving up now!

Or her name's not Naruko Uzumaki!

* * *

Edward furiously stomped down the street. He could hear the sound of metal hitting the pavement, meaning his little brother was following him, accidentally bumping into pedestrians if his hurried cries of 'I'm sorry!' were any indication, but he paid it no mind.

The nerve of her, the arrogance of her, showing up unannounced! As if, as if she had any right! Who the hell does she think she is?!

Edward found an empty bench plopped down on it, posture slouched, arms crossed, and a deep scowl on his face.

Alphonse sighed in relief when he saw his older brother finally stop to sit down and take a break from his aimless walking. He quietly took a seat next to him.

Neither brother spoke, not knowing what to say. Their sister was back! After ten long, agonizing years, she'd returned. A sister that left without reason, who had never made any contact with them, not so much as a single letter.

Now, she came back just as mysteriously as she had left, and Ed and Al didn't know what to make of this. How were they supposed to interact with her? How would she react to the fact that one of her brothers' has a metal right arm and left leg, and the other _doesn't even have a body_? What would she say? Should they tell her? Tell her that they committed the ultimate taboo known to alchemists?

" _No!"_ Edward thought, vehemently. He fisted his hands into his pant leg. _"She wasn't there for any of it! She doesn't know the suffering Al and I went through! The hell Al and I are still going through! She left us, she wasn't there for any of it!"_

Alphonse glance at his older in worry. "Brother…"

Edward let out a deep sigh to calm his nerves, knowing he was worrying his little brother. "You know, Al, this…" He gestured to his arm. "...Doesn't change anything."

"I know…," Al whispered, quietly, knowing what Ed meant.

There was a moment of silence before Ed spoke again.

"I'm not forgiving her," he declared through clenched teeth.

The suit of armor remained silent.

"Don't forget, Al, Naruko wasn't there," the elder Elric spoke as if to remind his younger brother that Naruko was not with them when they committed Human Transmutation. That she had left them. She created a hole in the family that never went away.

Al contemplated his next words, knowing the wrong choice of words would set Ed off. He could understand Ed's anger and resentment. Hell, he had the same such sentiments, but… He really missed his sister, and was incredibly to see her alive and well after all these years! He wanted nothing more than to talk to her, and reminisce about the past and what they both been up to for the past decade.

"Ed… She's family," Alphonse replied, tentatively, a few minutes.

Edward pretended not to hear him, and he stood up from the bench.

Al sighed. "Where are you going?"

"To the library!" was the somewhat angry response her got.

* * *

A week after, Ed and Al found out the awful truth. The deep rooted, unfathomable, dark truth about the Philosopher's Stone. The one hope they had of returning their bodies back to normal. The Philosopher's Stone needed the sacrifice of thousand of human lives.

There was no way Edward and Alphonse would be able to sacrifice countless people's lives just so they could return to normal. It incredibly morally wrong, and this was their problem, no one else's. They made a vow not to get others too involved in their affairs.

Edward disheartened reached his hand towards the ceiling fan. "You know, I think this is God's way of mocking us. We made a mistake as little kids and he _still_ has a grudge against us."

They heard a knock on the door.

"Ed, Al, are you in there? Come on out. I brought dinner."

They immediately recognized the voice of their older sister.

Edward glared at the door as if he wanted to burn a hole through it. Alphonse glanced between the door and his brother, unsurely, as if contemplating whether to open it or not.

"What do we do, brother?" Al asked.

Ed scoffed, turning away from the door. "Just ignore her!"

The knocking became louder. "Ed! Al! Open up!"

"Dammit!" the Fullmetal Alchemist shouted at the door. "This has nothing to do with a stupid, wash out hag like you!"

Al gasp, horrified. "Brother! You shouldn't say that about sister!"

Edward snorted, but before he could respond, the door suddenly flew over their heads, startling the two boys.

Ed and Al glanced over, only to be incredibly terrified as they were greeted by a creature they would only see in their worst nightmares. Her long, blonde hair was whooshing wildly around her, her blue eyes glowed with murderous intent, her lips were stretched into a sadistic smirk, and there was a violently ominous aura hovering around her.

Edward and Alphonse haven't been this terrified since training with their teacher. They have to wonder if all women are this scary.

"Who the fuck do you think you're talking to, Edward?" Naruko growled out, daring Ed to answer, promising a whole world of pain if he answers wrong.

"Nothing!" Alphonse quickly and frantically answered for his older brother. "He didn't mean it, sister! We've been under a lot of stress lately. You know how Ed gets when things don't go easy for him." He let out a nervous laugh.

Naruko thought this over as her blue eyes scanned the both of them. She sighed, softly, letting her anger and rage dissipated. "Well, here's your dinner." She handed the lunch box over to Alphonse. "I heard you guys haven't eaten in days. That's not good."

She and Al went over to the dining table to set the food she made down.

"Ed, come eat," Naruko beckoned him.

Edward glared at her for a bit, getting ready to tell her off until his stomach grumbled at the sight of chicken and rice that set out on the table. Unable to ignore his growing hunger, especially when there was food laid out before him, mocking him, he grumply stalked towards the table.

"Who's going to fixed the door?" he questioned, eyeing the broken door near the kitchen.

"You are, Ed. You can just fix it with alchemy," Naruko answered, dismissively.

"Oh, how very convenient for you," the blond boy said, sarcastically.

Dinner was awkwardly quiet for the three siblings. Naruko tried to make small talk to cut the tension, but only Alphonse was willing to communicate with her. Edward was trying his best to ignore her, already making up his mind to having as little to do with heer as possible. That made the eldest sibling a little sad, but she wasn't one to give up so easily.

Although, through her observations, she noticed something very important during dinner and decided to voice it. "Why aren't you eating, Al?"

Ed and Al immediately went pale, fumbling for a proper excuse.

"I-I'm just no hungry, sister!" Alphonse answered, hurriedly. "I already ate before!"

Naruko let out a disappointed sigh. "Please don't lie to me, Alphonse. I know that's impossible since you don't have a body," she stated, matter of factly.

Her younger brothers instantly went slack jawed. Not only because she already Al's condition, but the nonchalantly way she said it as if it was no big deal.

"H-how did you know?" Al asked, hesitantly. Ed was still too stunned to say anything.

"By the sound of your footsteps and your voice," she answered, simply. "It's way too hollow. And besides, what do you think the first thing I did when I came back? I went by our house, only to see burned down to a crisp." She let out a deep breath, waiting for what to happen after she spoke the next few words. "I know that you guys performed Human Transmutation."

Alphonse let out a loud, horrified gasp and Edward furiously slammed his hands on the table, Naruko distinctively hearing the sound of metal clanging against the surface.

"What right do you have to be snooping around?!" Edward shouted at her, his face contorted into one of pure anger.

"I have the right to know why my old home is no longer there," Naruko replied, calmly. As the eldest sibling with more experienced than her two brothers combined in these types of situations, it wouldn't do her any good to lose her temper. She had reasoned with herself earlier to try to approach her little brothers in a calm and mature manner, giving that she had more world wide experience than the both of them. Compared to her, they were still just children, after all.

"Sister, you don't seem to be that disappointed or mad at us," Al observed.

Naruko shrugged her shoulders. "Honestly, I'm a little disappointed, but meh. You guys could've turned out a lot worse. I mean, you guys could've become mad scientist obsessed with immortality and performing creepy human experimentations. Psychopaths obsessed with revenge. Or developed a god complex, trying to take over the world. Maybe even create a super weapon, and start an international war."

Edward and Alphonse just started at her dumbfounded and confused at the list off all the worst possible outcomes she could think of. What they didn't know was the fact that she was listing off all the villains she's met while was gone.

"So, basically, you thought we would turn into a couple of criminals and murderers," Ed confirmed with a twitch of his eyebrow.

Naruko nodded her head. "I was ready to beat some sense into you guys, if that happened."

Edward grinded his teeth together. "Well, not of it would have happened if you haven't abandoned us!" he shot out, furiously, all deep seated bitterness he had for her, lashing out all at once. "Where have you been all this time?! Why did you leave?!"

Naruko stared at her younger brother, sadly for a second, noting the pain hidden underneath his angered, golden eyes. "I'm sorry. I know that I'm partly to blame for the way things turned out." She glanced over to Ed, calmly as if staring a child throwing a temper tantrum. "But like said before, Edward, nothing I'd say would change the past. We are all going to have to learn to just deal with it."

Ed let out a forced, uneasy laugh. "Deal with it? Deal with it, you say? That's easy for you to say! You have no idea of the suffering Al and I went through!"

"What you're saying sounds like an excuse, Edward," Naruko retorted, cutting him off, her cerulean blue eyes piercing through him. "Are you really trying to blame me for your actions? I'd admit that it was my fault that you guys had to go through such desperate times at such a young age, but take some responsibility for your actions, Ed, instead of trying to pin the blame on others."

Naruko let out an exasperated breath. "Mistakes aren't made, so that a person would grow arrogant and conceited because of it. Mistakes are made to teach humility and appreciation for life. To help mature a person to learn from the past and to pass on their experiences to the next generation. Edward, it's clear to me that you haven't learned anything from your mistakes. In fact, just listening to you now, it seems that you have grown even more arrogant and self absorbed because of it, and that's where I'm very disappointed." She stood up from the table, already finished with her meal. "Until you learn that, there's no way I could tell you guys anything."

"Sister…," Alphonse spoke, sadly, feeling her disappointment weighing down on him.

The blonde woman stopped by the torn down doorway. "If the path you walk is no longer available, then find another path. If you can't find any, then just create your own. Use your own powers and knowledge to create a path for you to walk across, even if you have to create it out of nothing."

She stayed a silent for a second, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I'm not worried, at all. You guys would get your bodies back. I do believe in you."

The blonde Uzumaki walked out the door, not waiting see the reactions of the affect her words had on her two, naive, idiotic brothers.

Right now, she had other matters to attend to. When she was using Sage Jutsu to locate her brothers, she noticed various amount of ominous presence around the city, most notably coming from underneath it.

She figured it was time to check out what was hiding underground. If things gets out of hand, maybe she would contact Kakashi-sensei to extend her stay. After all, she didn't want harm to come to Edward and Alphonse. She would absolutely make sure that all threats were eradicated for the brothers' safety.

That's her job as the eldest sibling!

* * *

 **(A/N: That's the end of chapter four! Hoped you enjoyed it! There are two things I want to explain.**

 **First, Edward doesn't necessarily hate Naruko, not like he does with Hohenheim. He's more conflicted. After all, this was a sister that he adored with all his heart and soul. A sister he spent a good chunk of his childhood idolizing and playing with. He's very confused and conflicted. On one hand, he could still remember the good times he had with her, the sister that loved, protected, take care, and played with both him and Alphonse. But, on the other hand, this is the same sister that suddenly up and left him and their family for no apparent reason [from Ed's perspective].**

 **It was easy for Ed to hate Hohenheim because he gave off the feeling of a distant and cold father by the way that he spent as little time with his kids as possible. So, it was understandable that Ed thought his father hated them, and that fear became true when he left the family, confirming Ed's believe that his father never cared about them, which makes it easy for Edward to hate and despise Hohenheim and to see him as nothing more than a deadbeat dad that walked out on his family. We all know that wasn't the reason why Hohenheim, but remember this coming from a perspective of a little boy wondering why his father doesn't want to spend any time with him. A father who left him without explaining why. Of course, Edward would think the worse of him. It's only natural.**

 **That's what makes the difference between Edward's emotional conflict with Naruko so different than with his father. Naruko never gave off the vibe that she didn't care for both him and Alphonse, however, she still left all the same. Ed doesn't hate** _ **her**_ **. He hates her** _ **actions**_ **, actions that caused an emotional rip in their family. I hoped I explained it well.**

 **As the story progresses, you may see Ed coming across as a little boy [no pun intended], wanting his big sister's acknowledgement, her approval later on. Of course, there would still be some bitterness, but it would slowly dissipate over time. Character development, remember?**

 **Well, leave any thoughts, comments, suggestions, and questions in a review, and thanks for reading!)**


	5. Hospital Willies

**(A/N: Here's chapter five of 'Bonds Are Stronger Than Gold'! Phew! For a second there, I was worried that I might get some complaints that Naruko was acting a bit OOC at the end of the chapter. So glad I was just imagining things. You don't know how many times I had to rethink that ending for Naruko to give her little brothers advice in her own Naruko way.**

 **I'm so thrilled that this story has over a hundred people follow and favor it! I'm so happy! You guys make my day!**

 **What Naruko says to Edward for become more arrogant from his mistake is kind of true. Edward even admits in the end of series that the botched Human Transmutation caused him to become more conceited and arrogant [besides having a little bit of a guilt complex], thinking he could solve** _ **everything**_ **himself because he's an alchemic prodigy. I even noticed that myself as I was watching the series. Ed has always been prideful, little boy, and his arrogance just increased after his and Al's failed attempt at Human Transmutation. It wasn't until the whole Nina incident [ugh, another reminder] that he** _ **finally**_ **learned some sense of humility, even though he's still incredibly prideful. Since that incident was his and Al's very first exposure [besides their failed attempt at creating life] to the dark side of alchemy. Sorry, this is just something I forgot to mention last chapter.**

 **Anyway, please enjoy this chapter!**

 **Guest review [Deadrock3465]: Thanks for the review. Edward isn't blaming Naruko for their failed Human Transmutation. He knows that it's their fault, and, therefore, their responsibility to fix the mistake they made. He blames her for their mother's death. They same way he blames his father. He was thinking if she hadn't left, then their mom would still be alive, and they wouldn't be where they are not. Plus, the fact that all the pent up emotions, emotions like anger and frustration, he was feeling towards the sister that abandoned them [from his perspective] was released all at once. Can we really blame Ed for lashing out and accusing Naruko like he did? He's just a frustrated teenage boy with a lot baggage on his shoulders. Not nearly as much as his sister's, but... It's there.**

 **Guest review [Tempura204]: Thanks for the review! Oh, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Phew! For a second there, I thought I fucked it. That maybe Naruko was a bit harsh. What a relief! And about Sasuke... Please just be a little more patient. I promise your prayers would be answered soon.**

 **Awesomeness3013: Thanks for the review! Of course there are going to be fight scenes with Naruko! It gives me the opportunity to show off Naruko's badassery! Although, Naruko won't be fighting seriously for obvious reasons. It would be more of her taunting and mocking the humonculi, playing around with them than actually fighting them. As for the timeline, this story takes place right before the Fifth Lab incident, although, Naruko won't be joining Ed and Al in it. And Edward and Alphonse would eventually know the hardships Naruko went through. Don't worry. However, I doubt it would be pleasant conversation to have. After all, these are two teenage boys who are against killing, no matter what, and their sister was trained to do the very thing they are morally wrong to such an intense degree. And Naruko has been through shit that Ed and Al couldn't even begin to fathom. Yeah, I'm excepting I'm going to have a whole chapter dedicated to Naruko _finally_ telling her brothers what happened to her over the last ten years in the near future.)**

* * *

Hospital Willies

Sitting meditatively on the roof, Naruko began drawing in nature energy. It was completely dark out, only the street lambs and the crescent moon served as light sources, so she was pretty hard to spot when one wasn't looking for her.

Her objective was fairly simple. Find the source of that ominous presence, beat the hell out of it, and keep it from potentially harming her dear, little brothers. Quite simple, really.

The only catch was trying not to draw attention to herself. She didn't want civillains or the police raiding the area and thus getting in her way. Plus, the fact she did not want her brothers finding out that she's a trained kunoichi in the art of assassination, infiltration, and espionage. That would involve explaining her past, and the blonde woman was not ready to hit that road with her two, innocent brothers, who haven't seen as much blood and death as she had.

This was more of a reconnaissance self assigned mission than anything else. If it doesn't look like she'd be able to silently defeat the mysterious entity, the Uzumaki woman would get out of there as quickly as possible and contact Kakashi-sensei, so that she could stay long enough to deal with the problem.

Naruko smirked when she felt herself entering Sage Mode.

" **You know, it would have been much easier if you just went into Tailed Beast mode,"** Kurama spoke out.

" _I can't do that, Kurama,"_ Naruko argued. _"The glow and transformation would attract too much attention."_

With their brief conversation coming to an end, the female Uzumaki raced off to the source of the evil aura.

* * *

Getting close towards the sewers of Central was fairly easy. She was expecting to be ambushed or something for getting too close to this creature's territory. However, no one made any attempts to attack her. At least, not yet.

Naruko's questions and concerns were answered when, not even a few feet into the entrance of Central's underground pathway, she was immediately attacked by shadowy tendrils.

She immediately jumped out of the way. "Heh, I knew something fishy was going on," she grinned to herself.

The dark, deadly spears made another attempt to skewer her once again. In response, the blonde woman quickly pulled out a kunai from her pouch, and sliced through a few of the tentacles.

" **Naruko! Behind you!"** Kurama quickly warned his host.

Naruko twisted her body around to grab at one of the tentacles that were trying pierce her from behind.

"What interesting, little human you are." A sinister voice resonated throughout the area. She couldn't tell whether the monster sounded intrigued or annoyed that its attempts to kill her were failing. It was apparent that it actually never met a human that could fight back.

Its attacks began even more ferocious and vicious as it tried spearing in different areas. It was apparent that the creature was very adamant about not letting her venture any further.

It was funny. As the battle raged on, Naruko noticed that the monster used shadows to attack. It was similar to the Nara clan's shadow possession jutsu, however, while their jutsu were usual used to immobilize enemies, this monster's attacks were clearly meant to be used offensively and for assassinations.

And in this narrow alleyway, it was hard for blonde Uzumaki to counterattack. The monster definitely had the advantage here. She dodged another strike by backflipping against the wall. Maybe she should make a retreat before someone starts to hear all the reckus the battle is making, and start to rush over to investigate. Don't want her cover to be blown. Yet.

"Got you!" she heard the monster squeal in cruel delight as a couple of tentacle pierced through her midsection. She coughed out a bit of blood before a sly smirk graced her lips. In an instant, her body was replaced with that of a steel pole.

From up on the roof, Naruko could hear the creature's yells of shock, dismay, and frustration. Ha! She bet it has never seen a substitution jutsu before.

Well, as much as she wanted to stick around, there was no use staying if she didn't know where the creature's true form lay. It was awfully determined not to let her go any further, nor to see it what it _really_ looks like. Besides, she needed to get her rest. Been kind of a long day. Seeing her brothers again, mentally exhausted her, but in a good way.

At least, two things were confirmed for the female Uzumaki. One, there were monsters lurking about, dangers that were threat to her precious, little brothers. And that two, they seem be able know quite a bit about how humans interact, basing on how smug the tentacle creature was when it thought she was just a normal human woman, meaning that the people of Amestris are either oblivious to them, or that they blend in _so_ well with humans, which means they are monsters in human shape form.

There are many possibilities lurking around in Naruko's head. However, if it really was the latter, and they have made contact with humans and are free to be viciously hostile and to kill humans without a second thought while roaming the streets without a care in the world… Then this may a bigger problem then she expected. It would be obvious that _somebody_ or _some people_ were in league with these monsters.

In other words, in the worst case scenario, there may very well be a conspiracy going on.

Naruko let out an irritated sigh as she slumped against the wall of empty apartment building she sneak in. Fucking more trouble! And all she wanted to do was to relax and spend time with Ed and Al for the next month. She didn't know her vacation would actually turn into a fucking mission!

Guess, she'll contact Kakashi-sensei to extend her stay indefinitely until her new mission is cleared. At least on the bright side, that means Naruko would get spend more time with Edward and Alphonse. So, it wasn't a total loss.

She let out a breathless sigh. But how long could she keep her secret from them?

* * *

Ed was in the hospital…

Ed was in the hospital.

Ed was in the _fucking_ hospital!

Of all the…! Just what the fuck happened in one night?! Just wait until she gets her hands on those two, idiot brothers of her. What reckless stunt did those morons pull this time?

Naruko angrily raced down the hall towards her brother's room, which she got from the receptionist. She twisted around patients and swiveled across corners being as agile as a cat.

When she spotted Edward's bodyguards, she knew she was in the right room. Out of politeness, the blonde Uzumaki gave a short bow towards them. They gave her awkward looks and hand gestures in return. Naruko couldn't blame them for feeling slightly nervous and uneasy, not after having a front row seat to witness their family drama. They probably didn't know how to talk to her, or if they should be talking to her in the first place.

The blonde woman then heard a man inside the room made a comment about Edward dating Winry. She had to hold back a snort when her little brother indignantly denied being attracted to his mechanic.

Man! She couldn't miss an opportunity like this. Seeing Edward all flustered and embarrassed. She just got to make him even more flustered. So she did the only thing she could think of. Run in the room and proclaim something so embarrassing to young boys who are in the midst of puberty.

"Edward!" Naruko's voice held a serious and stern tone, heavily contrasting the giddiness and impishness she was feeling inside. "Make sure to use protection." She was always known to be as mischievous as a fox.

Seeing Ed comically collapse and turn as white as a ghost was pure gold! Although, seeing Winry's beet red face made her feel a little guilty. Sorry, Winry. Naruko mentally promised to make it up to her. She could hear the two guards outside let out flabbergasted gasps.

Score! She was officially successful in traumatizing Ed for life. That what he gets for worrying her. The best pranks are always executed when there are witnesses around to see it unfold.

Slowly recovering from his mortifying trauma he'd probably never leave down, Edward turned his golden gaze towards his sister as his eyes darkened. "What are you doing here?" he spat out, bitterly.

Naruko's mirthful smile turned into an angry frown. She marched up to her younger brother and gave him a headbutt he'd be feeling for weeks.

"Ow!" Ed screeched in pain, holding his head. "What was that for?!"

"That's for worrying me, you moron!" Naruko yelled, angrily. She kneeled down, so that she was at eye level. "Look, Ed, I know that you don't trust me. I know that I hurt you, hurt the family. I know that I can't say sorry, and expect everything to return to how it used to be when we were kids. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to try. Like it or not, I'm sticking around, so you better get used to it, dattebayo!"

She held Ed's face in her hands, which caused him to glower at her. "After all… You're my precious, baby brother!" she cooed, pulling Ed into a tight hug, practically crushing him. "You are just so precious!"

The blonde Uzumaki started jumping and spinning him around, like an eccentric mother. Ed, on the hand, felt nauseated as the world was spinning so fast he hardly make out any color or shape. He could feel his wounds reopening. He was dreading the thought of his sister turning into another Hughes.

"Uh, Naruko?" Winry called out to the overexcited, older blonde. "I think you should put Ed down now."

Cerulean eyes blinked in confusion. "Why?"

"Because he's turning green."

At the mechanic's statement, Naruko glanced down at her younger brother to see that she was right. Ed did look like he was the verge of vomiting. She quickly laid Edward back down on his bed while apologizing profusely.

"By the way…," Naruko spoke, glancing around the room. "Where is Al?"

"I don't know," Winry answered, looking slightly worried. "I haven't seen him."

Naruko was starting to get concerned. "I'm going to go look for him." She raced out the room before she could hear anyone protest against her.

* * *

It wasn't long before Naruko found her youngest brother sulking in a dark corner a few blocks away from Edward's room.

"Al," she called out, hesitantly. She doesn't know what caused her brother to become so sad after he was overcome with anxiety and joy after seeing her the other day. What happened in one night that caused Ed to be hospitalized and Al to become so depressed? It hurts her because she wasn't there to protect her baby brothers.

Alphonse lifted his helmet head slightly when he felt the seat next to him shift a bit. "Oh, hey, sister," he let out a half hearted greeting when he noticed it was Naruko taking up the seat next to his.

Naruko frowned. Something was really bothering Al. "Sup, Al. I just came visiting Ed."

Al threw her a questioning gaze. "How did you know Ed would be here?"

"People lie to talk. A lot," she replied, vaguely. "Anyway, I went over, gave Ed a smacking and a lecture, and that hug he owes me, dattebayo. Let's just say, be the end of it, he would be seeing blue and green for a while."

Alphonse gave a out a small laugh, which caused Naruko to frown even more. He was practically expected it to sound lighthearted, but it just came out hesitant and forced.

They stayed there for an uneasy moment of silence.

"You know," the blonde Uzumaki started. "If something bothering you, Al, I'm always here to listen."

"No. That's okay, sister. I'm fine," he smiled, which she immediately knew was fake.

Naruko sighed and stood up from her seat. She knew neither her brothers would tell her anything. They were so stubborn. Such stubborn boys. She could partially consider the fact that they thought whatever they were hiding were much too dangerous for her to know.

She gave her youngest brother one last hug. "Just try to stay safe, okay? Don't forget I'm always going to be here for you as well as Edward and Winry."

She sent him one last smile before turning away and leaving.

* * *

" _Naruko!" a gentle, motherly voice called out. "Come on out! It's time for dinner!"_

 _A shy, little girl about the age of four poked her head out from behind the door, blue eyes wide with uncertainty. "Oh, okay…," Naruko spoke, her voice filled with apprehension._

 _She took a tentative step forward, surveying her surroundings as if waiting for someone to jump at her or to yell at her to get out._

" _What are you doing standing there, sweetheart?" Naruko glanced up, her blonde pigtails bouncing behind her as a the woman brown hair went to pick her up. The little girl flinched slightly when she felt a pair of hands pick her up. Next thing she knew was that she was gently plopped her down on the chair. She offered the shy girl a gentle smile before walking away to get her food._

 _Naruko peeked through her bangs to see the blond man staring at her. When they made eye contact, she quickly averted her eyes. Ed was busy finding the table fascinating._

 _The blonde young girl could feel her nervousness and anxiety taking a hold of as trepidation of sweets starting to roll down the back of her neck._

 _Finally, what felt like hours, but was actually only minutes, a plate of steamy roasted chicken and mashed potatoes was set before her. Naruko blinked in bewilderment. Where were the scraps of bread crust, the banana peels, or the leftover vegetables the other kids didn't want to eat? This meal was too delicious, too exquisite. This couldn't be right._

 _It was probably a mistake. Yeah, that's what it was. Maybe Mrs. Elric had made a mistake and had meant the meal for somebody else. Naruko had half the mind to tell the woman about her blunder, but another part of her wanted to hurry and eat the food before she realized her mistake._

" _Naruko." The young girl almost jumped when her name was called. She gazed up to see the woman's green eyes gazing at with concern. "What's wrong, sweetheart? You don't like it?"_

 _Naruko shook her head, afraid if she said anything, she might set the nice lady off. She brought her attention back to her food, staring at it with apprehension. She could still remember the days at the orphanage where she would sit in a corner away from the other kids during meal time._

 _With great uncertainty, she picked up the fork. She tenderly cut out a piece of chicken and popped it in her mouth. She instantly felt the delicious texture of the chicken melt in her mouth. It was so good! Just so good!_

" _Naruko! What's wrong, sweetie?" Trisha asked, her tone laced with panic and worry. She went towards the little girl, picking her up. "Honey, why are you crying?"_

 _Huh? She was crying? Naruko didn't notice the sprays of tears splashing across her face. She didn't realize she was crying. All she thought about was how good the food was._

" _It's so good! It's so good!" She decided to tearfully voice that thought to the nice lady, her adoptive mother, who had given her her first_ real _meal, and not just leftover scraps._

 _Trisha smiled kindly, hugging the crying girl. "There, there," she whispered, soothingly, petting the back the blonde girl's head in a relaxing and motherly way._

 _It was the first time Naruko experienced what a family meal was._

* * *

Naruko was listening in on the conversation Edward and Alphonse were having with their military friends. She knew it wasn't right to spy, but dammit! She's going to do it anyway! She's not a kunoichi for nothing!

Now, what were her dear, little brothers hiding from her?

The blonde kunoichi tuned into the conversation. She heard words like 'ouroboros tattoo', 'Lab Five', 'Philosopher's Stone', 'sacrifice', and 'homunculi'. She made sure to keep mental checklist of all the important factors. She was guessing that this shadowy tentacle monster she encountered yesterday was one of these homunculi creatures.

Naruko bit the inside to keep her anger in check. And these homunculi consider her brothers as sacrifices?! It took all her willpower not to scream and create a hole in the ceiling, which is where she was residing. More precisely, in the air vent. She knew her big sister instinct was kicking in as she just wanted to kidnap Ed and Al, and leave the country. Take them to Konoha where they would be safe, guarded, and protected until she annihilates every last homunculi.

She silently removed the vent that was block, and jumped down landing behind her little brothers without uttering a single noise. Nobody noticed she was now literally in the room, listening them discuss on how to deal with the Fifth Lab problem. Not even the guy with glasses or the tall mustached guy detected her, too engross in strategizing their next move.

The blonde Uzumaki felt a mixture of pride and disappointment coil inside. Pride in her skills as a kunoichi. Man, sneaking was really easy. All those espionage and infiltration missions do come in handy. Even though she's more of tye who would scream first, ask questions later, she could extremely sneaky if she wanted. Disappointment in regards to the people in front of her. If she was a real assassin, she could take them all out in an instant without them noticing what happened. They shouldn't leave their backs open and unguarded. And they call themselves professionals in the military?

She decided to finally make her presence known after fifteen minutes of listening in. Naruko leaned over Ed's shoulder to get a look at some sort of crude drawing. Looks like a drawing of a five year old. Whoever drew those does not have any artistic talent.

"What's this? Some kind of strategy meeting?" Naruko questioned with a raised brow. As expected, the men around let out startled yelps as they turned to face her with eyes wide with shock and bewilderment.

"S-sister?!" Alphonse was the first to speak, his voice trembling so much with dumbfoundment that, if he had his real body, his heart would instantly burst. No doubt the others felt the same way. "Wh-where on earth did you come from?!"

Naruko gave him a playfully confused look. "I've been standing here for fifteen minutes."

After getting over his initial shock, Edward glared at her, gold eyes full of skepticism. There was no way she was standing there for fifteen minutes without any of them discovering an extra person in the room.

Before Ed could proclaim the falsehood of Naruko's statement, the door gently burst open.

"Fuhrer King Bradley?!" everybody, except Naruko, exclaimed, flabbergasted when a man in his late sixties wearing an eyepatch entered the room.

"Hello, Fullmetal," the man greeted with a disgustingly fake smile that made the blonde woman's skin itch. "I heard that you were in the hospital, so I thought a nice melon might cheer you up." Even without Kurama's chakra and enhanced ability to sense negative emotions, she could tell that the man's voice was full of mockery, malice, and venom, eyeing her brother as a mere tool and not a person.

So, this was the leader of Amestris? Pfft! From what she could tell, he was nothing more than a glorified serial killer. How could people be blind to follow a man like him? He obviously couldn't care less if he sacrificed his own men, if it meant obtaining his goal.

Just the thought of this guy being leader of the country _absolutely_ pissed her off! It was spitting on the fact of what a _true_ leader was supposed to be. A leader was supposed to be the pillar of support for their people, and wouldn't hesitate to give up their life if it meant protecting their loved ones and country, just like her father, the Fourth Hokage.

This guy… This man was the complete opposite of that, and it pissed the blonde kunoichi off so much that she could feel her blood boil and her teeth grinding so hard, she was afraid they would crack.

"Ah. And who might you be, miss?"

Naruko was snapped out of her musing to see the Fuhrer greeting her with that infuriating fake smile of his. She relayed her options. There was no way she could attack the guy unprovoked, so she opted to just simply smile and greet him back.

"Oh, hi," the blonde Uzumaki greeted back. "My name is Naruko Elric." She made a mental note to call herself 'Naruko Elric' instead of 'Naruko Uzumaki' since coming here. Don't want anyone looking too into her background or cause suspicion. "What's your name, old man?"

A blonde eyebrow rose in confusion when she noticed everyone giving her looks of disbelief. "What?"

The Fuhrer let out a hearty laugh. "You certainly are an interesting girl. Elric, huh? Are you by chance related to Fullmetal?"

The blonde woman resisted the urge to glare the revolting Amestris leader. Behind that friendly exterior, she could tell he was plotting something.

"Why, yes. I'm their older sister. I, uh, haven't been around much," she answered. She figured there was no point in hiding her relationship with Ed and Al. After all, they couldn't touch her, even if they wanted to. She's not an ordinary woman! "So, what's an old geezer like you doing visiting my brother in the hospital?"

Naruko resisted the urge to smirk when she saw the man's eyebrow twitch. There was something sadistically satisfying about getting under this guy's skin. She let out a surprised yelp when she was instantly yanked back. Confused cerulean blue eyes glanced over to see Edward glowering at her, angrily, looking at her as if she has gone insane.

"Are you crazy, Naruko?!" he whispered, harshly in her ear. "You can't talk to the Fuhrer like that! Do you want to get killed?!"

She nodded, dumbly, resisting the urge to roll her eyes as she watched Alphonse apologize profusely on her behalf. She scoffed and crossed her arms. "Whatever." She went over to the far side of the wall away from the military men.

Edward gave his sister one last scolding glare before rejoining the other men. What was she thinking? Talking to the Fuhrer with such blatant disrespect? As if she was challenging him? Doesn't she know that the Fuhrer could revoke his State Alchemist license?

Ten minutes of hearing the discuss the collapse of Lab Five, and Naruko was deathly bored.

"I've got spy network working for us," King Bradley informed them. "But these damn people always seem to be one step ahead of us."

Blue eyes narrowed in suspicion. Spy? Does he mean that shadowy monster she encountered the other day? The blonde kunoichi wasn't an idiot. The so called leader of Amestris was giving off the same bloodthirsty aura as that homunculus.

"Trust no one. And when the time comes, I expect you to fight by my side."

Okay. It was time she stepped up and call this guy out on his bullshit. She doesn't trust that could potentially endanger her younger brothers, especially not this man. This...glorified mass murderer!

"We'll keep that in mind. So… Are you done with all your lies?"

Everyone turned wide eyed at a smirking Naruko. Edward was glaring at her, signalling her to keep quiet while Alphonse was looking at the Fuhrer, frighteningly, probably hoping she didn't offend him in any way.

"Lies?" the Fuhrer questioned, trying to give off that sickeningly insincere smile of his. "I assure you, Ms. Elric, everything I tell you is the complete truth."

"You are lying right now," she bit back, smoothly. "When you talk, you use empty words. Tell me, have you been rehearsing that line over and over to yourself?" she questioned with absolute mockery. "When you said 'to fight by your side', you really meant 'these mindless fools don't know that they are being used', am I wrong?"

Naruko took note of the Fuhrer's twitching hand. She blatantly spoke out that she noticed that. "Oh? Your hands twitching. Are you itching to grab your sword? Are you so angry that you would kill me out of spite?" She let out a laugh full of mockery, not caring if others looked at her with dumbfoundment or disbelief, wondering she was truly insane. "The great Fuhrer King Bradley killing an innocent girl just because he was having a temper tantrum. My, my, I wonder how would that affect your image? The image that the Fuhrer is nothing more than temper tantrum throwing mass murderer?"

Naruko! Shut up!" Edward hissed at her, scathingly.

"You really should listen to your brother, young lady," the Fuhrer spoke, but she could clearly hear the underlining fury in his tone.

The blonde Uzumaki didn't know why she was enjoying getting this old geezer riled up. Many it was the fact that she was viciously attacked by that homunculus creature last night, and she was looking for some way to blow off steam. Or maybe she was pissed that her vacation was kind of ruined. Or maybe it was some sort of sadistic pleasure at seeing the Fuhrer squirm under her accusations because, deep down, he knows she's right. Not to mention that he gives off the same type of presence as that tentacle monster.

Besides, the fact that he considers himself someone to be feared, someone who is above her, is utterly laughable. She has faced guys ten times more, no a hundred times more threatening than this bastard. Madara Uchiha and Kaguya Otsutsuki are prime examples. Hell, even Orochimaru is more a threat this old man.

Naruko rose her hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry." She threw her hands down, dramatically. "So, about your so called spy network? Are you talking about the person watching us from the shadows?" She let out a dramatic, jabbing her thumb towards the window. "Or the one standing behind the window?"

The blonde woman let out a faint, sadistic smirk when she saw King Bradley's visible eye narrow and a breathless gasp coming from outside. A spy? Pathetic. They really should train to hide their presence better. She could practically feel the malice coming off in waves.

The silence was tension and deadly for the other occupants in the room. They could feel room turning fifty degrees colder. It was completely unbearable. The atmosphere was so tense a knife could cut it.

"Is King Bradley here?"

They tensed up when someone was calling the Fuhrer's name.

"Damn, bodyguard. Always thinks he's my shadow," the Fuhrer hissed, perhaps more viciously than he imagined when she saw that snot nosed woman giving him another victorious smirk.

Bradley headed towards the window, not before giving Naruko a murderous glare. "Come to my office, Ms. Elric," he commanded, leaving no room for argument. "I like to have a _little_ chat." That nonchalant shrug she gave him infuriated him even more. Oh, how wished he could silence her right then and there. Put the useless trash out of his misery.

But alas, he had work to do. He could always finish off the arrogant broad anytime he wished. It would be that hard to hide the body and to pin the blame on someone else. So, he climbed out the window and leisurely walked away, leaving everybody, except Naruko, once again in a state of shock and disbelief.

Winry had such uncanny timing because as soon as the Fuhrer was gone, she burst through the door. Although, the sight was greeted with was not something she was expecting. Naruko was lazily leaning against the wall with a pleased smirk on her face, Edward was murderously glaring at her, looking as if he wanted to strangle her, Alphonse looked like he was about to have a heart attack, and Hughes and Armstrong were completely dumbstruck.

"What happened?" Winry asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Edward gave his stupid sister one last glare before turning his attention towards Winry. "Nothing, Winry," he replied, although, he couldn't keep the anger out of his tone. "Did you get the tickets?"

"Yep! Sure did!" the blonde mechanic happily chirped, although, she didn't tell him about the extra one she got for his sister.

* * *

" _Naruko_! _What the hell are you doing here_?!"

Naruko pouted innocently at her baby brother. "I didn't tell you. I'm coming with you, dattebayo!"

"Well, you're not coming!" Edward all but screamed at her.

His older sister tapped her finger against her chin. "Well, that's too bad because Winry already bought me a ticket!" she exclaimed, happily, holding up the tiny piece of paper.

"Winry!" Ed sputtered, turning around to give his mechanic a look of utter betrayal.

"Oh, how exciting!" Alphonse cried out with joy. "Sister, our first trip together!"

Winry sighed at the two arguing siblings, already feeling a headache coming on. But she had to agree with Al. It was nice to have Naruko here with them again.

* * *

 **(A/N: That's the end of chapter five! Well, what do you think? Did you enjoy it? Naruko calling the Fuhrer out on his bullshit was something I was planning out since writing this story. We all know Naruko. We know she's the type to disrespect authority. She would only respect them unless they do something worthy of her respect. She especially loathes people who see others as nothing more than tools. She hates people who kill just for the sake of killing. I mean, Naruko held sympathy for Nagato and Obito, despite them both having murdered hundreds of people, because what they were doing was not for some self satisfying attempt to feel 'alive' or for some sick joy, but because they honestly thought what they were doing was for the greater good that they were going to change the world into some sort of utopia society. The ends justify the means in their case.**

 **And yeah, Naruko knows a bit about the Ishvalan massacre. That's probably why she's so viciously disapproving and outright antagonistic towards the Fuhrer. The Ishvalan massacre probably reminded her a bit about the Uchiha massacre. And Naruko tends to be a lightly touchy when Sasuke's involved.**

 **Oh, yeah. Before I forget… Those of you eagerly waiting for Sasuke to appear [trust me, I know, people have leaving me reviews and sending PMs about Sasuke's arrival], he would make brief appearance next chapter. However, he won't be reunited with Naruko not until another four or five chapters, more or less. So, yes! Sasuke is slowly making his arrival. Edward and Alphonse would finally meet the infamous Sasuke Uchiha, their sister's old teammate and best friend/rival. Oh, I'm getting excited myself just thinking about it!**

 **Well, that's it! Leave any thoughts, comments, questions, or suggestions in a review, and thanks for reading!)**


	6. First Kiss

**(A/N: Here is chapter six! Enjoy!**

 **Guest: Was this the same person that told me that 'orange and yellow don't make red'. Please stop taking the title to be so literal. I can make call the title anything I goddamn please. Don't act like a know it all! It just makes you come across as an annoying and pretentious prick! Okay?**

 **Tsukoblue: Thanks for the review! Let me answer your question with another question... Why not?**

 **grimlock987: Thanks for reviewing! True form Envy vs Kurama?! Only thing to say... Fucking overkill and probably not going to happen. I don't need to explain the reasons why because it's so obvious.**

 **Le Phoque Blanc: Thanks for reviewing! Sasuke won't be power hungry at all. He's done with that part of his. Sasuke is post-war Sasuke. The one who embraced the Will of Fire and is on his redemption journey. The same Sasuke you see in that human bombs filler story [if you watched the episodes].**

 **Awesomeness3013: Thanks for the review! I'm loved writing it. It was awesome to write about Naruko calling Bradley out on his bullshit. One of the things I was planning on since writing this fanfic. And no, Naruko and Sasuke aren't a couple yet. They will be during the course of the story after they get over some...issues, as I should say, of the past. To me, they are still emotionally damaged people. As a lot of people in universe describe them, including themselves... They were children starved of love. Once they get over their baggage, they would be ready to move on to the future. One of Naruko's conflict would be accepting love. In the romantic sense, mind you. I don't think it's much of a spoiler if you seen the Last [terrible movie] as it's implied that Naruto's crippling childhood caused him not accept love. Or at least be unconsciously afraid of it.)**

* * *

First Kiss

"Urgh! Can you believe the nerve of that woman?!"

King Bradley leisurely walked back to his office, hands clasped behind his back with a transformed Envy angrily stalking next to him, ranting about Naruko's disrespect and mockery.

"How could let a stupid human talk down to you like that Wrath?!" Envy snarled.

Wrath opened the door to his office and Envy followed him in, practically slamming the door shut behind him.

"I swear! When I see her, I'm going to slaughter her! How dare a filthy human like her talk down to us homunculi!"

"So you guys really are homunculi?"

Envy nearly jumped out of his skin at the unexpected feminine voice in the room. Wrath was better than his 'brother' at hiding his surprise, but his body tensed up slightly.

That infuriating woman was there! Perched nonchalantly on the open window sill. The way she sat there, so bored and uninterested, irritated Envy to no end.

"How did you get inside my office, Ms. Elric?" Bradley asked, calmly assessing the blonde woman. He was just itching to slice the woman in half.

The female Uzumaki offered a sly grin. "That's a trade secret, old man."

Envy could already feel his blood boiling at this arrogant human's cold dismissal. He watched with dark, narrowed as the woman egded herself off the window, taking a few unhurriedly paces to stand in front of Wrath, casually crossing arms her chest. That look of boredom and indifference on her face was really pissing him off!

"What is that you want?" Wrath asked, suspiciously, his visible eye narrowing at the the blonde kunoichi.

Naruko let out a nonchalant roll of her shoulders. "Nothing, really. Aren't you the one who called me into your office?"

King Bradley tsked under his breath. He could begrudgingly admit that the woman got him there. However, she was undeniably stupid to show up alone and unarmed. "Yes, I did," he answered, subtly signaling towards Envy.

Recognizing Wrath's sign, Envy's lips graced into a cruel smirk, his dark purple eyes eyeing the female Uzumaki with immense malice. This was too perfect! Now that Wrath's got her attention, he could easily sneak behind her and snap her neck.

He watched the exchange between Wrath and the female human, carefully keeping an eye on her. He crept as quickly as a mouse, making sure not to make even a sound. This was too easy! Humans are such pathetic, vulnerable creatures!

"You should really think about upgrading your security, if you do-" She let out a startled yelp mid sentence as she was grabbed from behind.

"What was that about buffing up security?" Envy gleefully threw the question right back at her. The look of utter surprise on her face was absolutely delicious. His grip on her tightened to an uncomfortable degree.

"It's useless to struggle," Envy spoke, obviously enjoying tormenting the poor kunoichi. He transformed into a blade and held it dangerously close to her neck, positioning it so he would be able to slit her throat at a moment's notice.

"Heh." Much to his irritation, the blonde woman didn't seem the least bit worried for her life. "So, you guys are monsters in human disguise," she said, more a statement than a question.

What was with this human? Why wasn't she scared? He practically had a blade just itches away from her neck. Shouldn't she be panicking, screaming for help? Or so terrified she'd be begging for her life?

Naruko craned her neck to take a glance at her capture. He didn't look like anyone special. In fact, he was so ordinary that he's only characteristics he had, besides being able to transform limbs, was that he was extraordinary ordinary. That dumbfounded look on his face was just ridiculous.

"Hey, you have a hostage. Are you just stand there like an idiot?" Naruko questioned with an innocent tilt of her head.

Envy's teeth gritted at the woman's sarcasm. She was obviously making fun of him. "Why you…!"

"You are the woman that Pride spoke about?" King Bradley spoke, cutting Envy off.

"Pride?" A flashback of her fight with that tentacle monster flashed before her eyes. "That's that shadow creature's name then, huh?" She smirked. "Thanks, I'll remember that."

"I suggest you watch your mouth, human," Envy hissed, drawing his bladed arm closer to her neck, breaking skin and drawing out blood. "You don't want me to suffer that pretty, little head of yours, do you?"

"You're not killing the sister of a State Alchemist, are you?" Naruko inquired, mockingly.

"We won't kill Fullmetal or his brother," the Fuhrer responded, evenly. "We need them both alive. However…" He narrowed his eyes at the blonde woman, giving her a look full of malicious intent. "...There's nothing we need you for."

As if on cue, Envy sliced his bladed arm through the woman's head, watching with sadistic glee as her head separated from her body. Unfortunately for him, instead of the usual splash of blood he was expecting to see spraying from her neck, there was a 'poof' sound, followed by a cloud of smoke to reveal a simple log split in two.

"What the…?!" Envy practically screamed in flabbergasted and alarmed. Wrath was just as astonished as his 'brother' was. He's been watching her with his Ultimate Eye. When did she had time to replace herself with a log? No, how could she replace herself when Envy was holding her hostage?

"Wow. That's the second time I had to use a substitution jutsu."

Both homunculi tensed and craned their body around to see that irritating blonde woman leaning against the bookshelf.

"You homunculi are s easy to fool," Naruko chuckled. She leaned off the shelf and placed one hand on her hip in playfully wicked manner. "What was that about killing me?"

She laughed, mockingly at them. "Don't make me laugh! You know how arrogant you sound. Don't overestimate your own abilities without realizing the depths of my own. I could take you guys both out without even breaking a sweat. You're lucky that I won't. At least, not yet. I'm not in that kind of mood right. Besides, this room is too crowded and there's too many people in this building."

Envy gritted his teeth, completely enraged at this human's constant mockery of them. "Shut up, you damn human! Who the hell do you think you are to talk down on us like that?!"

Naruko simple gave him a wry smile. "Who me? Oh, I'm no one special really." She casually stuffed her hands in her pockets. "I don't like to flaunt myself. I'm not that type of woman. I only came here just to warn you."

Blue eyes turned icy cold and both homunculi felt fear for the first time as a wave of killing intent washed over them. It felt like someone was holding a knife over their neck as they stood, frozen in place.

"I've got connections. I'm very important to a _lot_ of people. I'll just simply cut to the chase instead of rambling on. If I were to die…" She smirked, cruelly. "...Let's just say that you would have about half of the world wanting all you homunculi, or whatever the hell you call yourselves, dead."

The blonde kunoichi wasn't bluffing when she said this. It was the cold truth. She expected if something happened to her, no doubt Kakashi-sensei would send some people from Konoha to investigate, probably people like Sakura and Shikamaru and maybe Sasuke, if he took time off from his self redemption journey. Not mention she's close friends with Gaara, so no doubt he'd send some Sand shinobi if Kakashi-sensei asked him to. Speaking of that, she's friends with Killer Bee, the Raikage's brother, so maybe even he might pitch in.

She glared, viciously. "If you touch one hair on my brothers' head again, I'll kill you all," she spoke with such iciness in her voice it sent shivers down in both Envy's and Wrath's spine. They never met a human who could such fear into their beings.

"Consider that a warning. We'll got to go."

With a wave of her hand, she disappeared into a puff of smoke.

After their initial fright and shock dissipated, Envy growled, murderously, completely infuriating, his blood boiling. "That bitch!" He slammed his fist through the table, shattering it.

* * *

Naruko slowly opened her cerulean blue eyes from her short nap when a flash of her shadow clone's memories zipped past her mind. A sweet smelling scent waft into her nose.

"What's that smell?" she asked, almost drooling at the delectable scent. She stretched her tired limps a bit. Her blue eyes glanced over at the apple pie laid out on Winry's lap.

"Glad to see your awake, sister," Alphonse spoke, noticing his sister stirring from her sleep. "How was your nap?"

Naruko smiled at her brother, ignoring the comtemptive way Edward was looking at her. "It was good."

"Here's a slice of apple pie," Winry said, happily setting a piece of the pie on plate, and handing it to the older blonde with a fork.

"Thanks, Winry!" Naruko cried out with gratitude, taking a huge chunk of the humble pie. She hummed in delight at the delicious flavor. "Whoever made this did an outstanding! One of the best pies I ever tasted dattebayo!"

The blonde mechanic giggled. "I'd be sure to tell Gracia you enjoyed her pie, Naruko, once I get back to Central."

Naruko nodded her, cheerfully. "Please do. Oh, and ask her make me another one."

"There's no need for that, Naruko, I could bake the pie for you," Winry assured.

Cerulean blue eyes sparkled with joy. "Really? Awesome! Dattebayo!"

Winry smiled at the older woman's joyful glee then turned her attention towards Edward. "Why are you guys going to Dublith?" she asked, curiously. "What do you plan to find there?"

"Well, we are planning to meet our teacher," Edward replied.

Naruko raised an eyebrow at that. "Teacher?"

"Yeah, our alchemist teacher," Alphonse responded this time.

"She taught us everything we know about fighting and alchemy," Ed added.

"Wait! So, you guys are only going to fight?!" Winry yelled, indignantly.

"Not just to fight!" Ed yelled back. "We are also going to ask her about the Philosopher's Stone."

" _The Philosopher's Stone?"_ Naruko thought, intrigued.

"She taught us everything we know about alchemy, but she never mentioned the Philosopher's Stone," Ed continued.

"What's your teacher like, Ed?" Winry asked, interested.

Her question caused both Ed and Al to pale considerably.

"Time to say our prayers, Al," Ed moaned, miserably.

"I wish I had a girlfriend before I died," Al whimpered.

"Hmm," Naruko hummed, tilting her head in curiosity. "You've never had a girlfriend before Al?" she asked, strangely interested in her brother's love life or lack of. A sly smile formed on her lips. "That means you have never been kissed."

"Wha?" Alphonse stuttered.

"You know…" Naruko started making smooching sounds, causing Al to blush. She didn't a suit of armor could blush.

"Knock it off, Naruko!" Edward snapped, angrily. "Quit teasing, Al!"

"Sorry, Al," the blonde kunoichi apologized, sheepishly. She turned her mischievous blue eyes turned her other brother. "How about you, Ed? Got a girlfriend you want your dear sister to meet?"

She watched with great amusement as Ed's face turned as red as a tomato. Teasing her brothers was such fun! Especially, Edward. He's so easily flustered.

"So, you haven't kissed girl either, huh?" Naruko grinned, playfully.

Ed's face flushed a brighter shade of red.

His sister sighed. "And here I thought you and Winry would get together. So, you guys steal haven't sealed the deal?"

It was Winry's turn to blush.

"Shut up, Naruko!" Edward shouted, angered and flustered. "Winry isn't my girlfriend! And what about you? Have you kissed anyone?"

Naruko instantly froze, wide eyed. She never expected the question and teasing to backfire on her. Memories of her first kiss flashed before her eyes. Her first kiss...with Sasuke.

She turned her head away from their prying eyes, not to see her blushing face. She mumbled something inaudible under her breath.

"Hey!" Edward yelled, exasperatedly. "Don't turn your head away, Naruko! Ha! You haven't been kissed either!"

Naruko craned her head back towards her younger brother, a fire dancing in her cerulean blue eyes. "Don't compare myself to you, little brother," she replied, feeling insulted. "Unlike you, I have kissing experience!"

A sound of collective gasps resounded around. The blonde Uzumaki realized her slip up and instantly covered her mouth, her cheeks taking on a red tint in embarrassment.

Winry was the first to react, giggling in glee. "Oh!" she cooed. "You got a boyfriend, Naruko?"

Naruko shook her head, frantically. "He's not my boyfriend! We just a couple of times. It was all accidents!" she hastily added on when she noticed the playfully sly looks she was getting, feeling even more flustered.

Winry squealed with delight. "Who is he?" She was so interested in the boy who was Naruko's first kiss. And they have kissed a few times, according to her.

The blonde kunoichi blinked for second, her mind going a million miles a minute. She let out a small smile. "His name is Sasuke Uchiha," she spoke. There was a gentle fondness in her voice.

"Sasuke Uchiha?" Edward inquired. "Weird name. Never heard of it."

"What's he like?" Alphonse asked, curiously.

Naruko smiled, happy that her brothers and friend were interested in her old teammate. Talking about Sasuke always made her feel somewhat...giddy now that she could talk about him without feeling a cloud of agony and regret aching in her heart.

She hummed in thought. "Well, let's see… Sasuke is what might call a 'cool' genius. He's considered a child prodigy, but he's a bit of loner. We were classmates. He was the smartest person in class, always scoring the top of class. He was popular with the girls, too. So popular, in fact, that he had is own fan club."

Edward, Alphonse, and Winry all listened with rapt attention.

"Girls always go for the mysterious, bad boy types. Sasuke never cared for his fan club. In fact, he found them to be extremely annoying and nothing but nuisances. He was arrogant and aloof, never wanting to socialize with other people. He was very prideful, so prideful that asking for help him always frustrated him in the beginning. What can I say? He's brutally honest, not really caring if what he's saying hurts someone's feelings or not. I remembered one time a girl asked him, she ended up brutally rejected, running off in tears."

She paused for a second, letting the fond memories of their days in the Academy and their eventual graduation and companionship during the formation of Team Seven flashed in her mind.

"Sasuke and I always used to hate each other. We never really gotten along. I never liked him. I thought he was an arrogant jerk, nothing but a stuck up bastard. We always competed against one another. Neither of use could stand losing to the other. We were stubborn that way. Eventually, we learned to begrudgingly respect each other's strength. That respect turned into a genuine friendship."

"I learned that Sasuke may be a bastard, but he had a nice side, too. He's kind and thoughtful, even if he has a funny way of showing it. He has a rough exterior, but he's a good guy deep down."

"Wow. Sounds like you really like this guy, sister," Al observed.

Naruko instantly jumped out of her seat in a panic. "What?!" she gasped out, feeling flustered. "D-don't be ridiculous, Al! We are just friends, nothing more!" She quietly sat back down, her lips turned downward into a small frown. "And besides… Our relationship…"

 _"Just shut up for once! What the hell do you know about it?! It's not like you ever had a family in the first place! You were on your own right from the beginning, what makes you think you know anything about it?! Huh?! I'm suffering now because I had those ties, how on earth could you possibly understand...what it feels like to lose all that!"_

"It's…"

 _"If you attack Konoha, I will have to fight you... So save up your hatred and take it all on me. I'm the only one who could take it! It's the only thing I can do! I will shoulder your hatred and die with you!"_

"...Complicated."

The rest of them all blinked in confusion as Naruko turned her away, looking out towards the window, wanting the end the conversation before getting into details she'd rather not discuss, her right clenching her shirt where her heart laid where her Chidori induced scar was.

* * *

"I figured you know why I called you back to Konoha."

The young raven haired man stared at his former teacher, merely raising an elegant brow. "I heard that it was about Naruko."

The laid back Hokage leaned back against his chair. "Why, yes. Not long ago, I sent Naruko to a country called Amestris."

"Amestris?" the raven haired man inquired, testing the foreign word on the tip of his.

"It's a country far off to the east, past the Land of Lightning. It's across the ocean, so you have to get there by boat," the silver haired man explained.

"Why is Naruko in this country?" the black haired man questioned.

"I sent her here for her vacation. She wanted to go there. Apparently, she has family. Two younger brothers, to be more precise," the Hokage answered.

That reply left the younger man confused. Family? Naruko had never told him of any siblings. Everyone, including himself, just assumed that she was an orphan. He didn't know what to think about her lying to him all these years. He felt kind of...hurt.

"I know that you are skeptical. I was, too, at first. I went through the Third Hokage's files to find that it was really true. Naruko does have siblings living in Amestris. Adopted brothers to be more accurate. Apparently, Naruko was adopted by the Elric family at a young age, but returned here when it was time to begin her career as a shinobi."

Seeing as most of questions were being confirmed, the dark haired man replied with his follow up question. "Why do you want me to go over there to Amestris?"

"Ah, that…" The silver haired Hokage leaned forward, his dark gray eyes sharp. "Apparently, Naruko has run into a little trouble while vacationing." He reached into a drawer and pulled out a letter. "That girl always seems to find trouble wherever she may be." He handed it over to the younger gentlemen.

The black haired man held out his only arm and gracefully opened the letter, reading its content. His face contorted for a split second of one of amusement and exasperation before forming back to its usual aloof look. The letter was definitely from Naruko. The messy handwriting was a dead give away. She finds trouble even on her time off.

"I assume you already know what to do."

The man silently nodded his head.

"Good. You are to head out to Amestris and help Naruko solve this issue."

"When do I leave?"

"There's a boat that heads over there tomorrow morning, so leave then. The sooner, the better."

The raven haired young man nodded his head in affirmation once more and headed out the door of Hokage's office, knowing that his business with his former teacher was done.

"Good luck… Sasuke."

* * *

"Automail! Automail! AUTOMAIL!"

The trio siblings watched as Winry gushed about automail with varying degrees of exasperated expectancy.

"We should just leave Winry here in this town of automail freaks and head over to Dublith," Edward said, irritable, impatient tapping his foot against the pavement as the blonde mechanic went into another shop, gashing about the mechanics of automail.

"That's the price you pay, Ed, to satisfy your girlfriend," Naruko teased.

Edward's cheeks instantly flushed pink in embarrassment. "Dammit, Naruko! Winry is _not_ my girlfriend!"

Naruko innocently tilted her head, although, she enjoyed teasing her little brother and making him all flustered. "She should be." She patted his back roughly. "She would make you a nice wife," she laughed, heartily.

"Well, what about you and this 'Sasuke' guy?" Ed retorted.

The older sibling immediately stopped laughing to address her younger brother with a look of suspicion and confusion. "What about me and Sasuke?"

"Isn't he your boyfriend?" Edward baited, slyly.

His sister promptly froze up, her face heating up. "B-boyfriend, dattebayo?!" she exclaimed in disbelief.

Ed had an evil glint in his eyes. "Oh, yeah?" he challenged, tauntingly. "I wouldn't call kissing a guy being just friends." He needed so payback from all of Naruko's teasing. And if he had to stoop as low as her, so be it.

"I told you it was an accident!" Naruko retorted, feeling incredibly flustered.

He scoffed, not believing her. "I wouldn't call kissing a guy more than once to be all accidents."

"Well, they are! Dattebayo!"

Alphonse watched with a tired sigh as his siblings got into another heated argument. They were both so stubborn and hotheaded. But their quarrel did bring him a sense of nostalgia. It brought him back to the days when they were all together like family with mom. Even though their mother was no longer here, it still like their family was back together.

He was abruptly startled out his musings when he heard an excited squeal.

"What's got you all excited?" Edward yelled, angrily, covering his ears. That unexpected screech didn't do his eardrums any favors.

Naruko didn't answer as she bounced away gleefully to whatever caught her attention. She pressed her face against one of the shop's window view where they show their latest products. Her entire body was radiating with joy as there were hearts in her cerulean blue eyes as she gazed, dazzlingly at the sword in full display.

"Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!" Naruko chanted, happily.

Edward and Alphonse over their elder sister's shoulders to see what got her squealing like a girl on a shopping spree. When they saw that it was a simple katana encased in elegantly patterned black and blue sheath, they shared looks of utter disbelief and bewilderment.

"This sword is awesome! So cool! Beautiful!" the female Uzumaki cooed, delightfully.

"Uh, sister? I didn't know you were into _that_ kind of stuff, like weaponry," Alphonse uttered, sheepishly, not knowing what to say. This was something _new_ about their sister.

Ignoring him, Naruko spun around and faced Edward with a pleading stare. "Ed, please buy it for me!" she requested, pointing an excited finger at the katana.

Ed crossed his arms, scowling. "Why should I?"

His sister pouted, cerulean blue eyes growing unbearably wide, giving him the puppy dog look. "Please, buy it!"

The Fullmetal Alchemist scoffed and turned away. "No way. Why don't you buy it yourself."

"I don't have enough money," she pouted, shamefully.

"Well, sucks to be you," he responded, uncaringly as he began walking away.

"Edward!" Naruko fumed. "You stupid, short idiot!"

Ticks marks instantaneously sprang all over Ed's head as he spun around so fast, it was amazing he's whole upper back didn't snap. "Who are you calling short?!" he exploded.

Alphonse sighed once again as his two older siblings got into yet another fight. The sight of a gathered crowd grabbed his attention. He strolled away to see what all the commotion was.

Noticing Al's disappearance, Naruko ceased her argument with Ed to address it. "Hey, where did Al go?"

Edward's blond brows scrunched together in confusion, his golden gaze searching for his little brother. "Where did he go?"

"I don't know. He was here a minute ago." Cerulean blue eyes spotted a familiar tall suit of armor amidst a crowd of people. "There!" She pointed towards the crowd. "Al's there!"

Edward, having spotted his brother as well, immediately ran off towards the large group of people to join him, his older sister not far behind him.

* * *

When they regrouped, Winry was already there standing next to Alphonse.

Naruko watched uninterested as it was just a simple automail arm wrestling match. The whole entire premise was boring. Why don't they skip the kitty stuff and do some actual sparring?

She observed with dry amusement as Edward was easily riled into competing in the arm wrestling competition by the announcer making fun of his height. She sighed in hopelessness. Her brother really needed to fix that complex of his. If he was a shinobi, enemy ninjas were use it against him and kill him. Although, she'd die before she let that happen.

Edward decided to teach these bastards a lesson for calling him a pipsqueak. He would show them that this _pipsqueak_ was not someone to mess with!

A victorious smirk graced his lips as he completely totalled the bulky dude's automail. "Let's try that again… Who's automail is a pile of trash?" he said, rhetorically with a mocking tone.

"My automail is the best!" Winry cheered, happily.

No sooner a large crowd of automail mechanics gathered around Ed to admire and praise the craftsmanship of his automail. Winry wasted no time to bask in the glory and proudly proclaim that she was the wonderful mechanic that made the blond alchemist automail.

Al chuckled to himself as he watched Edward's patience wearing thin and Winry obliviously glorying the work of her automail. "This takes you back, doesn't it, sister?"

He turned only to realize that Naruko was...gone?!

* * *

While Edward was busy with arm wrestling, Naruko decided to entertain herself with the children of Rush Valley. She always adored kids! They were so full of life and endless potential. They were seeds of the next generation.

The easiest and simplest way she thought of to entertain these little balls of sunshine was to jungle for them. Being a ninja, jungling five flaming torches was fairly easy to do. Using a bit of wind chakra to keep the torches airborne and in her control. Not only was this entertaining, but good practice for wind chakra control.

The children oohed and awed at her performance while the parents observed, fascinated by the display. For the grand finale, the blonde kunoichi tossed all five of the torches and caught each of the them on her hands, foot, and nose, perfectly balancing them with wind chakra and each.

They onlookers were in complete awe at her performance and graciously applaud her. She tossed the torch that was on her foot up, and smoothly caught in her hand. The one of her nose was already in her other hand. She blow out the fire, distinguishing the torches before tossing them away.

"That was so cool!"

"Awesome!"

"So wonderful!"

The children cheered, making Naruko's heart swelled up with joy. Children are always great inspiration. She hoped that they would grow up to be wonderful and aspiring adults.

"Sister!"

The sound of metal hitting the ground and Al's frantic cry caught the female Uzumaki's attention. No sooner, she spotted Al in the distance, closing in one her, inch by inch. He seemed to be troubled for some reason.

"What's wrong, Al?" she asked, worriedly

"Sister, you have to help us look!" Alphonse cried out, urgently.

She tilted her head in confusion, not understanding the dilemma. "Look for what?"

"Ed's pocket watch has been stolen!"

* * *

 **(A/N: That's the end of chapter six! I hoped you enjoyed it! There's nothing much to say here. Did you guys love Sasuke's cameo appearance? And now he's on his way to Amestris. But give him a couple more chapters before he joins in as one of the main characters in the story. I truly did enjoy the talk about boyfriends and girlfriends and first kisses. It was interesting and amusing way for Naruko to talk about Sasuke to her brothers and friend.**

 **Well, leave any comments, questions, and suggestions in a review, and thanks for reading!)**


	7. Wonders of the World

**(A/N: Here's chapter seven! Enjoy!**

 **kataccolaforever: Thanks for reviewing! Believe me, it was fun to write. I enjoy Naruko teasing her younger brothers.**

 **a5thKira: Thanks for reviewing! Of course!**

 **NightmareKnight!: Thanks for the review! Let me offer a rebuttal, Naruko isn't taunting the bad guys out of spite or pure amusement. You forget the homunculi are the reason Ed was a put in the hospital in the first place. Overprotective big sister. Do I need to say more? And the whole 'I have an army' was to get them to back off and think twice before performing an assassination attempt. You've got to think these things through.**

 **thunrady: Thanks for the review! You have _no_ idea of how much I've thought of that and how to best incorporate it in the story. I had the idea, then abandoned it, and finally come up with a solution to make its own mini arc to show that Naruto's villains are in different class than FMA's.**

 **Awesomeness3013: Thanks for the review! My thoughts about The Last exactly.)**

* * *

Wonders of the World

"Urgh!" Naruko groaned. "How far away is this guy?"

They were walked around a barren pathway on a mountainside. Naruko shrugged off her orange jacket earlier, revealing a mesh shirt underneath, and using the jacket shield herself from the blazing rays of the sun.

"I don't know," Winry moaned in agony, her face dripping with sweat. "They say he lives around because of the rare ores he could find for his automail."

The older blonde woman threw a sharp glared at her younger brother. "Well, we wouldn't be in the mess, if _someone_ was more responsible with their belongings."

Edward growled at his sister, feeling incredibly irritated. He was already angry enough when his pocket watch got stolen. He didn't need a lecture! "Don't start with me, Naruko!"

Just then the group of four heard the cry of a bird. They gazed overhead to see a small white pigeon flying around in circles above them.

"What's it doing?" Alphonse asked no one in particular.

Naruko's cerulean blue eyes caught the tiny package strapped to its leg. It must be a message bird. Tch. Did one have to show up now? In the open? Couldn't it be a little more discreet?

She sighed as she slowly lifted up her left arm for the pigeon to land on. The pigeon took the initiative, squawking once, then and swooped down.

Edward, Alphonse, and Winry backed up a little in surprise, watching as the pigeon descend towards the eldest of Elric siblings. It flipped its wings a couple of times to slow down its landing, and then firmly dug its talons on Naruko's arm.

Naruko took a note strapped from bird. With a flick of her arm, the pigeon flew away. She inwardly groaned at the fancy embroidery then opened the envelope. She read through the letter… Well, she would if she didn't have three people breathing down her neck.

Her blonde brow twitched in annoyance. She held down the paper, so noisy eyes won't be able to read what was written. The blonde kunoichi turned to fix her brothers and friend an unamused glare. "Do you mind?"

They all stepped back.

"What's that letter for?" Ed asked, suspiciously.

Naruko rolled her eyes. Looks like they still have some trust issues that needs working out. "It's just a love letter, Ed."

Winry seemed to gasp in delight. "A love letter? And they had a pigeon send it to you? How romantic!"

"Yeah…," she drawled out, uninterested in the letter. _"Couldn't Kakashi-sensei hang onto these until I got back?"_ she inwardly cursed.

The blonde Uzumaki then spotted a figure in the corner of her peripheral vision. It was a dark skinned girl holding something silver and shiny in her hand.

"Hey, isn't that your pocket watch, Ed?" She pointed out with her finger.

"Huh? Where?!" Ed's golden orbs trailed the spot where his sister's finger was pointing. When he spotted the girl, an evil smirk formed on his lips. "I GOT YOU NOW!" he roared, maniacally.

Naruko smirked, amused. _"Really? Does he have to show off?"_ She watched as he alchemized the surrounding areas to get a better footing as he chased after the thief. She's got to admit, Ed's alchemy has drastically improved since the last time they've met. Before, he could only mold small figurines, like dolls and horses. But now, he was creating pillars of carefully sculpted and systemic rocks. Her little brother really did turn out quite the young man while she was away.

"We better chase after those two boneheads," Winry suggested, reminding Naruko that Alphonse went to help Edward catch the thief.

Naruko tried slowing her pace to match Winry's, which wasn't very hard to do. However, her legs wouldn't stop twitching for her to turn a casual jog to a full on sprint.

The two girls arrived just in time to see Al trapping the girl inside a cage. Naruko watched with a small sense of fascination as a cannon shot out of the girl's leg, which were both automail. Now that's what someone calls being prepared.

The dark skinned girl tried to make another grand escape, but Naruko was already on her tail. And so was Winry. Both blonde girls grabbed one of the thief's arms, tightly, not letting her go.

"Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Winry asked, rhetorically with a smirk.

Naruko pressed her fingers against the girl's pressure points because, with years as a trained ninja, a deadly assassin, it had become second nature to her. Never know when someone might try something. Better safe than sorry.

The dark skinned thief smiled, nervously, wiggling the arm Naruko was holding, uncomfortable.

"Good job, guys!" Ed shouted. "Don't let her go!"

"Of course not!" Winry's expression turned into one of pure joy. "Not until I've had the chance to look at her automail!"

Edward and Alphonse collapsed anime style, and Naruko let out an amusing giggle. Typical Winry.

Just then a door to a nearby house opened up, and a woman with short, brown hair peeked out. "Oh? Who are they, Paninya? Are they your friends?" the woman asked in a kind voice filled with curiosity.

The dark skinned girl and thief, now known as Paninya, let out a nervous laugh. "Well… Not exactly. We just met."

* * *

The brown haired woman was now identified as Satella LeCoulte and her husband was dark haired man with glasses named Ridel. He was an automail engineer along with his gruff father, Dominic.

While Paninya went off to introduce Winry, Edward, and Alphonse to Dominic, her mechanic, Naruko went of on her own to read the love letter. She found one of the rooms with a large round table. She sat on one of the chairs and began reading the letters.

She scowled as she read the contents of the letter. It was always these same old, crappy love letters. The one where the suitor talks about how pretty she is or how much of powerful and elegant ninja they presume she is. Letters that are meant to shower her with affection and praise, hoping to flatter her enough to consider dating the one who wrote it.

At first, the blonde Uzumaki was genuinely and whole heartedly flattered by the confession letters, her heart ready to burst everytime she reads the 'I love you' parts. She would often be filled with anticipation, excitement, and nerve wracking rapture at receiving such wondrous words of admiration and intense infatuation.

How could she not? Naruko had been spent all her childhood life, waiting, yearning for someone to acknowledge her, to show her some form of acceptance. She was a lonely, depressed, little girl hiding behind a courageous bravado and cheerful smile.

However… Now… These letters meant nothing to her now. The past year, the excitement turned into boredom as more and more confession letters piled up in her backdoor ever since she became recognized as the Heroine of the Fourth War. It was becoming a terrifying redundant, and an, unintentional, backhanded compliment.

Of course, Naruko still felt a vague sense of happiness all the compliments and praise over all her hard work, showing that her efforts and sheer determination to be acknowledge was not a waste of time. She had _finally_ gained something she had longed for since moving back to the Leaf Village. And still gets that same feeling of pride and joy whenever someone acknowledges her accomplishments.

Conversely though, in some twisted sense, now an essence of suppressed anger and loathing bitterness coursed within her. At first, Naruko told herself time and time again that it wasn't right for her to feel this way towards someone hadn't done anything negative towards her. She remembered telling Sakura, Ino, and Hinata about all the love letters she had received after the war.

Sakura and Ino encouraging her to go meet some of the guys who want to date her, insisting that it was a perfect opportunity to find a suitable boyfriend for herself since she was getting close to that age where she was suitable and practically of marrying age. After all, she was almost eighteen at the time. Most kunoichi are married by then or twenty one at the lastest. The only few exceptions are her parents, for example, since they got married at age twenty three or twenty four. Though, the main cause of that was the Third Great Shinobi World War. It was a...not very good idea to start a family in a middle of war. Not a very wholesome environment to raise children, knowing that once they get old enough and graduate from the Academy, they would be sent off to fight in the war.

Hinata, on the other hand, did not pressure Naruko, like Sakura and Ino. The blonde Uzumaki understood that the latter two were only thinking about her best interest at heart. They only wanted her to be happy after all the crap she'd been through in life. But… Sometimes… They don't give the best advice.

That's why she could always count on the Hyuga heiress's input, ideas, and suggestions on these...matters of the heart. Hinata had told her that she should not worrying too much about marriage. It was only stressing her out. She should do what was best for _herself_. She shouldn't about concepts about being obligated to marry at a certain age. It wasn't a very healthy way to start a relationship. The only thing she needed to do was to follow her heart. If it doesn't seem right or if she does not feel anything for suitors of these letters, then it was just never meant to be.

The simplicity of the advice was so amazing, it left Naruko wondering why didn't she think of it herself. Why should she give in to one of these suitors? She could admit that some of them may be nice guys looking for genuine love and companionship and she had gone on dates with some of them. Nothing happened much, really. Just a little dinner and chit chat to get to know one another. But there was never any spark. No hugs, no kisses. Just a simple, one date dinner. She had never went out with any of them again.

Hinata was right. She shouldn't try to hard to please these men. What was the point, if it was confiscating her own happiness? And besides, what would they think of her if she wasn't the Heroine of the War? These questions often pop up bitterly in her head when it finally dawned on her that most of these men were only interested in her because of her prowess and status. Where was all this love and affection when she needed it most when she was a little girl forced away from her adopted family?

Naruko quickly shook her head, knowing she was entering resentful and surly unwanted territory. It was not these men's fault. Like she had said before, just like she didn't know them, they did _not_ know her. Though, one question remained… Who was the idiot that told them that she turned eighteen?!

Ever since her eighteenth birthday, confession letters sometimes turned into marriage proposals! Urgh! The sheer amount of marriage offers were aggravating to say the least. She now knew why Sasuke got so annoyed with his fangirls. Oh, she perfectly understood her frustrating it could be when someone doesn't take the _hint_. Although, she was never as rude as Sasuke in her rejections, the blonde kunoichi was sincerely hoping that they would figure out she was _not_ interested in dating any of them. Let alone, marriage.

And they found out the blonde Uzumaki was the daughter of the Fourth Hokage, the famous and well renowned Yellow Flash of the Leaf, it had gotten so much worse. She had gotten to twice as many love letters and marriage proposals. Her suitors seeming even more determined to take her as a bride and, eventually, a wife.

Naruko sighed. All of this was giving her a headache. Her cerulean blue eyes looked down at the table to see shredded pieces of paper and shattered gold jewelry of what seemed to be a necklace scattered about. Opps! She must have destroyed them when she was loss in thought, deeply trying to suppressed her anger.

She shook her head. Oh, well, nothing she could do about it now. She took all the scattered pieces and dumped them into a nearby trash can.

Naruko went around the house in search of her younger brothers. She found them in a small room with the heavily pregnant Satella.

"It feels warm," she heard Alphonse mumble, voice full of wonder.

Edward then placed his own human hand upon the woman's tummy. His golden eyes sparkling with fascination as a small wondrous awe escaped from his mouth.

Naruko watched from by the doorway, a joyous smile gracing her lips. She listened with a feeling of bliss as her brothers enthralled themselves in the wonders of childbirth. How amazing women to carry such a small ball of life in their stomach for nine months. Something so simple yet beautiful creating human life that not even alchemy could do.

She then pressed her lips together in deep thought. Have Ed and Al had the _talk_ yet? They were both young teenage boys, so they should know where babies come from, right? A sense of nervous anxiety coursed through her. Should she give the _talk_?

"Ah, hello. You're Naruko, right?"

The blonde Uzumaki snapped out of her thoughts. She blinked in confusion. "Huh?" Then she realized that she's been spotting as three pairs of eyes were staring at her. Satella's brown eyes was looking at her with such loving kindness, Edward's golden gaze held a sense of annoyance and indifference, and Alphonse's was just...blank, but she could feel the delight and pleasure in them.

"Oh." She smiled, sheepishly, knowing she was caught spying. She stepped inside the room.

"You can come closer, dear," Satella said, kindly, beckoning the young, blonde woman over. Naruko tentatively took the initiative until she just a foot away from the seated pregnant. "You could feel the baby," the brown haired woman egged her, eagerly.

That caused Naruko to take a step back in shock, feeling flustered. "Huh? N-no, I shouldn't. I-I would just… I mean-"

She was cut off from her self induced rant when the kind woman gently took her hand and placed it on her enlarged belly. Naruko's cerulean blue eyes widened before slowing lowering into a sense of contentment as she took the invitation and slowly guided her hand gently around the brown haired woman's stomach.

Suddenly, she felt a small thumb. The baby kicked! It actually kicked! A feeling of exhilaration erupted inside her, and her lips turned upward in a blissful smile. "It's so warm…," Naruko spoke, softly.

Edward was watching his sister feel around the woman's belly, trying to be as gentle as possible with small, content smile.

"You are through this miracle yourself one day, Naruko," Satella said with a smile.

Naruko quickly retracted her, jumped up in slight shock, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink as she began to feel flustered. "Oh, no!" she denied. "No way! I'm not…" Her voice lowered in bit due to disfavor. "I'm not...the marrying type. I'm not what most men would find attractive."

"Oh, nonsense, dear," the browned woman said, politely. "You are a very pretty woman."

"No, really. I'm tomboyish and brash, and I lack any sort of femininity. Most guys would want a girl who's delicate and ladylike and I am just not it," Naruko reasoned.

"But what about that love letter you got, sister?" Alphonse cut in, wondering why his sister was downplaying herself so much.

Ed watched his sister's reaction, quietly, not caring to engage.. And for a split second he thought he saw something before Naruko's lips split into a crooked smile. It was just for a micro of a second. It was so fast, he would missed it if he wasn't paying attention or even blinked. But was that… Did Naruko's face darkened into a displeased frown for just a sec. He frowned at thought, ready to question her, but was interrupted.

"Oh, that, Al… It was just a silly prank," Naruko chuckled, boisterously.

"A prank?" Al seemed genuinely confused, questions raising.

The eldest of the Elric siblings nodded. "Yeah, I get love letters all the time. None of them are actually serious." _"Who in the right mind would love me anyway? They must be either desperate or crazy,"_ she inwardly thought, bitterly.

"You shouldn't sell yourself short, Naruko," Satella encouraged. "If you do get love letters like your brother say you do, then there is some nice guy waiting for the chance to go out with you. You should give them a chance."

Naruko twitched a little before forming a perfectly, designed, crafted, forced smile. "Um, yeah… I'll think about it."

She desperately needed to get out of here. She did not _want_ to talk about her love life or lack of.

Ed's golden eyes never left his sister's form. She's been acting sort of weird ever since she's gotten that love letter. Sort of stressed out, tensed, and agitated. It was like the topic made her fraughty high strung. Though, it did not matter to him.

"How insensitive."

Wait… What? He had to do a quick double take to make sure he heard Naruko right, but she was already out of the room. Her voice was so low that it was barely a breathless mumble. But he was absolutely sure he heard her.

" _How insensitive."_

That's what she said! Edward's lips turned downward into an angry scowl. What the hell was her problem? How could she say something like that? To a pregnant woman, no less. All Satella and Alphonse were trying to do was reassure her from her disheartening mood.

To him, it didn't even matter. He glanced over to Al to see him staring sadly in the direction his sister left, although, it doesn't seem like he heard her last words. And neither did Satella.

Ed grew increasingly angry. He was about to go and tell Naruko off when he heard a chair roughly hitting the ground and a pained groan. He quickly rushed to the collapsed woman's side.

"Hey, Satella! What's wrong?" Al asked in a worried voice, already kneeling next to the pregnant woman.

The brown haired woman held her stomach as another pained moan escaped her. "I… I think...the baby's...c-coming."

After that unforeseen statement, all hell broke loose.

* * *

Naruko witnessed a series of events spiral out of control because of the baby's premature birth. She observed as everyone went into disarray over trying find a doctor to help deliver Satella's and Ridel's baby.

Funnily, it would have amused her to see everyone spazzing out and running around like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off, if not for the seriousness of the situation.

She sighed as discreetly made a couple of clones to gather boiling water, towels, and disinfectant. While her brothers and Dominic were busy trying to cross the bridge to get a doctor, it'd be good to help guide Satella through her contractions.

Granted, the blonde Uzumaki had _never_ once in her life deliver a baby, she had seen Sakura deliver a baby once during one of their missions. And thank god she remembered the instruments that gathered for first aid childbirths.

And besides, it wouldn't do her any good to start panicking like an utter fool. She's a kunoichi, she's more dignified than that! Having a panic attack over this would not look good on her. Not when she's been through worse than seeing a woman going through childbirth, especially when _she's_ not the one experiencing it.

Naruko gathered the supplies inside the bedroom Satella was staying in, her clones already dispelled moments beforehand.

"What are you doing, Naruko?" Winry questioned, curiously watching as the older blonde set the bucket of boiling water, a few towels, and a bottle of disinfectant down, her pale blue eyes shone with disquiet and concern.

"We have to help Satella with her contractions while my brothers get a doctor," Naruko stated, calmly.

* * *

Unfortunately, Ed and Al failed to get a doctor because, by some sort of horrible twist of fate, the bridge was broken, and they couldn't fix. Just led to another slew of panic attacks that had Naruko mentally rolling her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. Though, she wasn't quite one to talk as she didn't know what to do either, besides getting a doctor herself in record speed. But… That would require blowing her secret. Possible.

Fortunately, the blond Uzumaki was saved when Winry suggested she would deliver the baby. And with her and Paninya at her side, they helped the blonde mechanic complete that task.

Now, Naruko knew why people considered a birth of a child was considered one of life's miracles. Even though she was there that one time to see Sakura deliver a baby during their escort mission one time, she had never _witnessed_ it as all she did was help gather supplies to help start the birthing process, so she didn't know to do after the fact as her pink haired teammate shoved her away, not wanting her to cause the soon to be mother any sort of unnecessary distress.

This time, the blonde haired woman got a full frontal view of what delivering a baby was like. If one gets past all the initial panic, hordes of blood and horrid, grotesque pieces of afterbirth, and the stench of disinfectant and bile, it was _truly_ a beautiful sight. It was like digging through a pile of shit to find a shiny, sparkly diamond beneath it all.

The birth of a child truly was a miracle.

Naruko offered a sad yet heartfelt smile at seeing the new overjoyed mother and father before leaving the room to wash her hands of the aftermath. She was certainly elated to see the rejoicing parents cuddling their newborn son, so incredibly happy in fact.

So, she, understandably, felt ashamed of herself when felt a sad pang and a sting of self pity gnawing at her heart. She was fully aware that she was thoroughly and innocently yet ruthlessly reminded of something she would never have. A family.

Though, she does, technically, have her own family with her younger brothers, Edward and Alphonse, estranged it might be. They were still working on regaining their former sister, brother bond. What Naruko wouldn't have would be a loving and devoted husband and children of her own she could dote on. Being reminded of that hurt a lot worse than she cared to show.

After calming herself down, the blonde Uzumaki reentered the room, squishing the initial hurt and sadness at her own self pity. She smiled brightly at the new parents, giggling to herself as they thought of names for their infant son.

"Would you like to hold him, Naruko?"

The question caught the blonde kunoichi completely off guard. She stared, slightly wide eyed at the new mother as she held her baby out for her to hold. She nodded, dumbly, not wanting to displease Satella, and took the baby into her arms.

Something akin to euphoric and captivated delight etched inside her as she stared at the newborn infant. He was so small, soft, fragile, and cute. He was absolutely beautiful. No wonder mothers willingly endure pains of childbirth, if something as loving and blessed as this awaits them. There was nothing like the feeling of elated happiness recently delivered baby brings.

"He's beautiful," she told the mother, her tone full of mirth.

The brown haired woman smiled, happily. "He sure is. You would have a child of your own someday."

Soft cerulean blue eyes stared the the infant boy once more. "Yeah…," Naruko whispered out, her voice full of hope and not lacking any the usual bitter undertones.

* * *

Meanwhile, Edward was having a little _chat_ with Paninya about possessions. And by 'chat', it meant pounding her hand with his automail hand until she gave him his pocket watch back, something she had yet to do thanks to all the shenanigans about the unexpected baby.

He just recently found out that Winry sneak a peek at the insides of his watch, and, although, he was pissed of at first, he quickly dismissed his anger when the blonde mechanic began crying. He really hates it when she cries. It made him feel so low, especially when he's the cause of her tears, which is almost all the time.

"Hmm? What is this?"

Ed's curious, golden eyes gazed at Paninya as she dug inside a trash can, his nose wrinkling with disgust. Why was she digging through trash? He was quickly answered when she pulled out of piece of gold jewelry.

"Wait!" Winry sprung from her chair, appalled. "Is that...gold?! Like real gold?!" she shouted, completely gobsmacked. Both Winry and Paninya glanced at each other wide eyed before furiously digging inside the trash, pulling out pieces of the gold jewelry. They laid out every single fragment of the jewelry they managed to salvage from the trash out on the table.

"Who would throw gold in the trash?!" Paninya asked, incredibly astonished.

Winry just shook her head. "I don't know. Is this perhaps one of Satella's broken jewelry?" she questioned.

The brown skinned woman shook her head, negatively. "No, I've been here plenty of times, and Satella never had this before."

"What's going on?" Alphonse asked as he entered the room.

Winry quickly ushered him over. "Al, could you transmute something for me?"

"Sure." He stepped closer, metal feet clanging against the floor. He stopped when he spotted the pieces of gold scattered about on the table. "Is that gold?" he asked, surprised.

"Yep, I need you to fix it for me," Winry said.

Al nodded, quickly doing what he was asked. He created a Transmutation Circle on table and placed all the shattered fragments upon it. With a flash of alchemic light, the gold pieced itself together to reveal an astoundingly beautiful, diamond encrusted, gold, heart shaped pendant.

"Who the hell would throw this away?" Edward yelled, joining the others at staring at the pendant in awe. "This must cost a fortune!" Being an alchemist and,therefore, incredibly versed in the different types of minerals, he was well aware that this was _real_ gold and not pyrite, which he believed at first, explaining his initial lack of interest.

"What are you guys doing?"

All eyes turned to Naruko as she entered the room with a raised brow.

"Hey, Naruko," Paninya beckoned the older woman over. "Come look at this! See what we found in the trash!"

"Oh, that's the necklace I threw away," Naruko said, casually.

"What?!" various screams of shout echoed around the room as they all stared at her, flabbergasted.

"Naruko! How could you throw gold away?!" Winry was the first one to ask, dumbfounded.

"Where did you get it from?" Al questioned, genuine curious, not remembering once that his sister stopped by a shop in Rush Valley, except for the one that sold the sword she was endeared to.

"I got it from the love letter," she answered as if it was no big deal.

"What?!" Another slew of astonished shouts ensues, causing Naruko to flinch at all the yelling.

"The guy sent you gold?! He must me a prince or something!" Paninya voiced out, absolutely amazed.

"He is."

"What?!"

Naruko flinched, pricking her ears, making sure she didn't go deaf. "You guys really need to stop that," she said, annoyed.

"A prince?! Since when were you dating a prince?!" Edward exclaimed, skeptical.

The eldest Elric sighed, tiredly. "I am not, Ed. And it was more of a marriage proposal than a love letter. The prince wrote in his letter that he wanted to marry me, and offered the golden pendant as some sort of engagement. I get love letters, marriage proposals, and gifts all the time now, mainly from noblemen, rich businessmen, and royalty, though I receive love confessions from other men as well," she explained, so casually that it left the other four occupants in the room completely awestruck.

"Sister? Wh-when were you...so popular?" Al asked, slowly and almost speechless. "What were you doing the ten years you were away?" Everyone else could only dumbly nod along with Al's question just as curious as he was.

"That isn't important," Naruko dismissed.

Edward frowned, knowing that his sister was obviously avoiding the question.

"Why don't go out with any of these guys, Naruko?" Winry genuinely questioned.

The blonde Uzumaki plopped herself down at a nearby chair. "Because none of these men are exactly my type." Her yellow brows scrunched in, contemplatively. "Satella got me thinking though, about how to find my perfect boyfriend."

"How?" Winry rose of brow, wondering what was on her older friend's mind. What sort of idea did she have to choose between all her supposed suitors, if she hadn't already?

Naruko smiled, pleasantly to herself. "I've decided to host my own fighting tournament."

"Why?" Ed was the to question, confused by his sister's logic.

"It would help me to decide who to date."

"So, you're going to go out with whoever the winner is?" Al asked.

The blonde kunoichi shook her head. "Not exactly. I am going to beat the crap of whoever comes out on top," she replied with smirk, leaving everyone stunned. "Because, by the end of the tournament, the winner would have to face me, and let me tell you, only two things would happen. Either he impresses me enough or he ends up in the hospital with a bunch of broken bones. His choice," she finished, a sadistic gleam in her eyes.

"Sister, you violent," Alphonse shivered.

"Couldn't you choose something more civil," Edward frowned.

"I agree with Ed," Winry nodded. "There _must_ be another way."

"Do you even have a type?" Paninya questioned.

"My type?" Naruko pondered this for a moment. "I guess, I would like a man who is as strong or stronger than me. A man who's as strong as my father. Someone who's competitive and who I could spare with, always improving ourselves. Someone who could stand next to me as a reliable partner and right hand man. He doesn't necessarily have to be nice, but sincerely well meaning and always thinking of our loved ones best interest at heart. He has to be someone I could count on and fight alongside with. Someone who knows and understands me in ways that others don't. I'm also going to need him to willfully act in the shadows for me as I can't do everything myself, to act as my dark knight. Someone I can consider a lover, a best friend, and a riv-"

Naruko stopped mid sentence, blue eyes wide as if she suddenly realized something. "Ex-excuse me. I've got to go."

Without making a sound, the blonde Uzumaki left the room, leaving Ed, Al, Winry, and Paninya confused.

* * *

After saying goodbye to Winry and Paninya, Naruko entered the train with Edward and Alphonse as they headed to Dublith. She was eager to meet the teacher that got her little brothers shivering like frightened rabbits.

It was amusing to see them give themselves a peep talk as they ventured towards their alchemy teacher's house.

"This is going to be fun," she giggled to herself.

After meeting a large, muscular man named Sig, the door burst open and a foot viciously kicked Ed in the face, sending him flying.

* * *

 **(A/N: That's the end chapter seven! Hoped you enjoyed it! Geez, this chapter turned out longer than I thought. Besides, the whole childbirth scenario, it mostly supposed to consist of Naruko receiving a love letter and determining who her ideal boyfriend is.**

 **I just want to say that Naruko feeling slightly bitter about all her supposed suitors isn't entirely made up. It's hinted in The Last that Naruto feels exasperated and a tiny bit resentful at all his fangirls after two years of constantly being bombarded with gifts and confessions. He's just nice and doesn't say anything about how much it annoys him. Here, Naruko much more more open to it in her monologue.**

 **Naruko is also oblivious to love just like Naruto is, albeit differently. While Naruto obliviousness comes from his childhood and lack of understanding of the concept, Naruko's comes more from denial that anyone would** _ **truly**_ **love her for her. It really shows how much her childhood had utterly emotionally damaged her and crippled her sense of self worth to make her think she's unworthy of love. And all the love letters she receives doesn't help and just makes matters worse as most consist of sappy poems, declaring how beautiful she is or how powerful she is. Nothing indicating to her** _ **real**_ **self. Kishi did say after the war is over, Naruto's final challenge is to fall in love and get married. And that's what Naruko is going through, but she has to get over her deniability about being unsuited for marriage first.**

 **And also, it should be no brainer about who Naruko is describing as her type, not to mention her sudden love epiphany. I've said it since the first chapter. But now, Naruko realized it, and the only question is… How would she go through with it?**

 **Leave any comments, suggestions, or questions in review, and thanks for reading!)**


	8. Teachers

**(A/N: Here's chapter eight. Enjoy!**

 **Awesomeness3013: Thanks for the review! Yeah, I always find it really sweet when people realize the person they have been describing as a potential love interest as been right in front of them the entire time. Either that or they have been subconsciously in love with them the entire time, and just never realized it.**

 **The Jingo: Thanks for reviewing! I already planned when Naruko and Sasuke would reunite since the very beginning of the story. Sorry, it feels slow paced though. There's just a lot stuff happening before that. And I was never one to rush romance arcs. It never felt right to me, especially since neither Naruko nor Sasuke has realized their feelings for each other. When I put romance in a story, it's always a subplot, not a minor plot. A secondary plot to the whole story. I don't know. I just...can't. I just can't rush romance. Probably most of the romance in my stories tend to be slow building and gradual.**

 **a5thKira: Thanks for the review! Naruko's a ninja. I figured it would do her no good to act like a lunatic just because a baby arrived earlier than expected. As a shinobi, she should be prepared to always expect the unexpected.**

 **almp15: Thanks for the review! You would have your answer in this chapter.)**

* * *

Teachers

Edward was slammed across a nearby building by a viciously strong kick. A woman with dreadlocks tied into a ponytail came marching out with a malicious glare.

"Hello, my student pupil. I see you've become one of the military's dog," she snarled.

Naruko snickered in amusement when she casually greeted her youngest brother, only to flip him over.

The woman seemed to have heard the noise, and finally turned to face her with a curious brow. "And who might you be?"

"Oh, I'm Naruko Elric," Naruko introduced herself to the couple. She pointed over to her two brothers sprawled on the ground. "Their older sister."

"I didn't know my students had a sister."

The blonde woman sheepishly scratched the back of her head. "Well, I haven't been around much."

"You've got lots of energy for someone not feeling well," Alphonse groaned, getting up from the ground.

"Not feeling well?!" their teacher shouted in disbelief , only for blood to spray from her mouth.

"That's something you don't see everyday," Naruko mumbled to herself, voice full of concern.

* * *

"The Philosopher's Stone? Nope, never heard of it. It holds no interest to me," the woman, now known as Izumi Curtis, said.

Edward and Alphonse seemed disappointed by that response.

"Oh, well, thanks anyway," Ed said, dejectedly.

"Wasn't there a man in Central who knew a great deal about the stone," Sig chimed in, helpfully.

Ed and Al seemed to perk up by that indication, eyes brimming with hope and excitement. Naruko quietly took a sip of her tea, calmly observing everybody's body language.

"Who was it?" the blond alchemist asked, unable to contain his enthusiasm.

"Yes, I remember now," Izumi pondered. "I believe his name was… What was it? Oh, yes. Hohenheim."

Ed's smile turned into a seething glare, Al gasped in shock, and Naruko turned her head away, finding the stars outside more fascinating.

"What is it? Someone you know?" Izumi asked, taken noticing of how tensed the three siblings seem to be.

"He's...our father," Alphonse answered, slowly and quietly.

Izumi's eyes widened, slightly. "The one who ran out on when you were a little?"

"Yeah, that's the one," Ed spat out, spitefully. He set his golden, livid glare on Naruko. "It's because of that bastard that our mother's dead!"

Naruko flinched when she could feel her younger brother's intense anger seeping off in waves and directed at her. She then heard a hard smack, and Ed's subsequent pained cry.

"Time to eat!" Izumi announced.

* * *

After listening to her brothers recount the tale of how they helped deliver a baby back in Rush Valley, it was time for bed.

Ed laid down on the his guest bed, staring up at the ceiling, and Al sat on his, looking out the window, staring at the starry night sky.

"Teacher sure hasn't change, has she?" Edward spoke with a reminiscent smile.

"Yeah, it's kind of great that she's still the same," Alphonse added, somewhat happily.

They heard a knock on the door, and a curious Al went to go answer it.

"What are you doing here?" Ed scowled when it revealed to be his sister.

Naruko offered an easy smile. "May I come in?"

"No!" Ed responded, sneerily.

"Brother!" Al immediately chastised him.

"Fine," he relented.

Naruko went on side the opposite the bed than the her younger brother was occupying. She positioned herself by the wall, fully aware that her two, little brothers were watching her every move, one with curiosity and the other with anger.

She slowly turned to face them. "Nice teacher," she said, breaking the tension. "How'd you guys meet her?"

Ed glared at her. He wanted say it was none her business, but Al cut him off.

"There was fierce storm in Resembool one day, and then Teacher came along and used alchemy to build a huge wall to keep all the rushing water from flooding the town," Al answered, happily, the familiar awe he had when he first saw Izumi use a circleless alchemy.

Naruko remained silent for few moments. Edward had to wonder what was going on inside her mind. She snickered much too their puzzlement. "I can see why you found her to be so scary. It's almost amusing," she chuckled. "I can just imagine how your training went."

The eldest Elric sibling laughed, softly when Edward and Alphonse shivered in fright.

"Yeah, Teacher was very strict," Al said. "But she taught us so much! Right, brother?"

Ed nodded in agreement, seeming to forget his anger as he reminisced about the past.

"Have you guys ever thought about taken in students of your own?"

Their sister's question caught them slightly off guard. Both Ed and Al gazed at each other with looks of confusion.

"Why would we?" Ed questioned.

Naruko stared at him, a yellow eyebrow raised. "Don't you have anything you wish to pass on to someone else? I'm sure Izumi entrusted a lot things to you two."

Ed and Al blinked, staring at each other.

"Teacher didn't teach us anything besides alchemy and martial arts," Al said, hesitantly as if unsure how to respond.

The blonde woman casually laid down on the bed, crossing her arms behind her head. "Sure, she did. Every teacher has something that they entrusted to their students. It doesn't have be something you could physically see."

"You seem to know quite a lot about teachers," Ed said, voice full of skepticism.

Cerulean blue eyes stared at her younger brother for a second before turning her gaze back towards the ceiling, staring at the spinning fan.

It was totally silent for a few minutes. Al wondered if Ed had said anything to offend Naruko. Then a light sigh erupted from the eldest sibling's mouth.

"I had a teacher," she finally spoke, tone full of wistfulness.

"You did, sister?" Al gasped in shock. "What kind of teacher? What were they like?"

Naruko chuckled at the series of rapid questions her youngest brother was firing at her. She could completely understand his sincere curiosity and excitement. This _is_ the first time she's willingly talking about her past.

Edward didn't say anything, but his eyes showed that he was just as interested and eager as Al.

Naruko's lips pursed together, pondering where to start. She didn't want to give away too much. "...He was goofy, obnoxious, and all around pervert," she said, voice seething with anger. "He just _loves_ to peek at girls while they are a bathing." Her voice seemed to grow angrier by the minute. "The first we met he was spying on naked girls in the hot springs. God! He was such a perverted, old man."

"Why would you choose a teacher like that?" Edward asked, nose wrinkling in disgust. He could just imagine the guy, a repulsive shiver running down his spine. He was glad he ended up with Teacher. She was much better than some perverted, old creep!

"Beggars can't be choosers," Naruko responded with a sigh.

"He...didn't do anything...weird to you, right, sister?" Al asked.

The blonde Uzumaki chuckled when she could hear the protectiveness in his hollowed tone. "No, he didn't do anything. Besides, that would be illegal and unethical." She let out a breath of happiness and bliss. "He wasn't all bad. He was knowledgeable and reliable, and he's the person I respect the most!"

A small smile graced the young, blonde woman's lips. "He taught me everything I needed to know about...life." She was conscious enough not to say 'ninja'. "I taught me what do when I make a mistake. He was like a grandfather to me." She turned to face her brothers, a wide, cheeky smile spreading across her face. "I guess, seeing you guys with your teacher reminded me of my own."

"Did your teacher ever entrust you with anything?" Al asked.

"Yeah… He did." There was a vague hint of regret in her respondent tone. "But I didn't figure it out until after…" She paused mid sentence, lips contorted into a grim line.

"After what?" Ed interrogated, the impatience clear in his voice. He assumed that Naruko was deliberately avoiding his brother's question, like she always does.

Naruko just stared at him with a strange, indecipherable look in her cerulean blue eyes. She turned her body away from them, facing the wall, her back turned in their direction.

Edward glared at her as she continued to ignore their question. He scoffed, grumbled under his breath, and turned his body to face the ceiling, an angry scowl on his facial features. Why was he even surprised? His sister always been distant and secretive at times like this.

"He died."

The statement was so unexpected, so out of left field, so unpredictable that it got immediately reactions from Edward and Alphonse. Al let out a horrified, almost breathless gasp, and Ed shot up from his bed, golden eyes widened with dismay, shock, and alarm.

"Wha? How?" the animated suit of armor asked, his voice just barely above a stunned whisper.

Naruko's tilted her head back to gaze at her younger brothers' overly stupefied and flabbergasted expressions. She turned back to face the wall. "He died two years ago. He was killed, murdered." Another series of horrified gasps, but she calmly ignored it and continued on. She already told her brothers this much, might as well finish the story. As long as she leaves out names and anything ninja related, it should be good.

"He was killed by a former student of his."

"What?!" The stunned surprise and appalling distress in Edward's voice was completely expected. Al most definitely felt the same way.

"There was someone he taught before me. My teacher entrusted his wishes to that person. Let me it clear, his former student wasn't really bad. He was a genuinely good kid. Quiet, timid, kind, and gentle kid," she explained, trying to remember what Nagato told her about his past.

She turned towards her brothers. "He was a genuinely good kid."

"Then why did he murder his own teacher?" Al asked, his tone full of anger and confusion.

"Why?" Naruko breathed out. "To tell you why, I'm going to have to explain a bit about his past." There was a short pause before she continued on. "I guess it all started when his parents were slaughtered right before his eyes."

Ed and Al shook with shock and anxiety, but remained silent. How many curveballs are going to be thrown at them? They decided it was best that they stayed silent and listen as their sister told her tale.

"He was probably about the same age as you, maybe even younger. He was a war orphan. He watched people die left and right. It must've taken a huge toll on his psyche. Luckily, he met two other war orphans just like him. They became close, like a small family. Soon after my teacher ran into and taught them everything they needed to survive in times of war. He taught him everything he knew, and entrusted him with his dreams. The kid loved and admired his teacher. All he wanted to do was to become strong enough to live to his master's wishes. Now, you are probably wondering what could have turned a sweet and innocent boy into a cold hearted killer?"

There was a dramatic pause as anticipation filled the air. Ed and Al waited with bated breaths. Naruko sat up from the bed to fully face her brothers. She looked them both in the eye with overwhelming seriousness.

The blonde Uzumaki glanced at her youngest brother. "Al?"

"Y-yes?" he responded, hesitantly.

"Let's say that Winry is kidnapped and held hostage, and the criminal demands you to kill Ed. He tells you to kill Ed or Winry dies. Which would you choose? Ed's life or Winry's?"

It was only rhetorical question, but frightening implications of it left Edward and Alphonse absolutely horrified and speechless.

Naruko lowered her eyes, a small, wry smile stretching out on her face. "Yeah, you probably guessed it. A friend's life over another friend's life. And that was the straw that broke the camel's back."

Cerulean blue eyes stared at the two boys with a soft, sadden expression. "People always say that criminals and murderers are the most dangerous people. No, what's more dangerous are the quiet and nice ones because you never know why they might snap. And when they do, it's a truly frightening, horrifying, traumatizing, and tragic experience. That horrid incident turned a sweet and innocent kid into a cold blooded mass murderer. He became a shell of his former self. He still wanted to follow his master's wishes, probably his only reason for living by that point, but he was unmistakably bitter, twisted, and hate filled that what he was doing was the _exact_ opposite of what his teacher wanted. He even killed his old master, _my_ teacher because he was getting in the way of his plans."

Ed and Al did not know what to say. Their bodies shook with sorrow and distress. Edward wanted to say that was just an excuse for revenge and killing, but could he really say that?

He glanced over at all, thinking of a scenario where he would have to choose between his little brother's or Winry's life. A situation like that had never came up, and he was beyond glad it never did! Choosing between his brother and childhood friend? That was impossible and inhumane, brooding with psychological torment! No wonder the kid went insane.

She sighed, placing her elbow on her knee, and a palm under her chin. "To protect someone dear to you, conflict is born. Love breeds sacrifice and sacrifice breeds hatred. Hatred gives birth to revenge, and revenge will eventually pave a way towards war, and death is soon to follow. Maybe that's the reason Scar's the way he is." She sighed once more in exasperation. "It's the cycle of revenge all over again."

Ed immediately jumped to feet. "Don't try to justify that murderer's reason for killing!" he snarled, viciously. "Not after he killed Nina!"

Naruko blinked in confusion. "Nina?"

Al's glowing red eyes dimmed a bit in sadness. "Nina is a little girl we used to know. Her father turned her into a chimera, and then Scar came killed her and her father."

"Oh, I'm sorry," the blonde woman apologized, sincerely. She didn't mean to reopen old wounds for her two brothers. She clasped her hands together on her lap. "But if you really think about, it's the military who's responsible for Nina's death. They created Scar, so, in a way, they are indirectly responsible for her death." She leaned back a little. "I know about the Ishvalan Civil War."

"But they were just following orders!" Alphonse vocalized.

Naruko simply gave her youngest brother a wry look. "Now who's trying to justify someone else's reason for murder? Are you only saying that because some of your friends are in the military and were involved in the war? You could say that because they are 'just following orders' is the reason they are constantly at war with other countries. None of them have an ounce of integrity or free will."

"B-but…," Al stuttered, trying to come up with an appropriate response.

"Sorry, Al, I didn't mean to sound so snappy," Naruko said. "Not everyone's perfect, no matter how bias you try to be about them or glorify them. A boy were forced to kill his own _parents_ , his own _family_ because he was _just following orders_. And guess what? He was only _twelve_!"

Both Edward and Alphonse let out a shocked gasp.

"He murdered his parents?!" Ed shouted with disbelief. "Why the fuck would he do that?!"

"Why?" Naruko let out a mirthless chuckle. "You could say it was the lesser of the two evils. Another boy killed his own friend because said friend used him to commit suicide. The other friend he thought was died, turned out to be alive, saw what happened, and became a mass murderer."

Seeing the horribly distressed expressions on her little brothers' faces, the blonde Uzumaki leapt off the chair. She placed on hand on each of their should, looking them straight in the eye, a soft smile on her lips. "I didn't mean for this to turn philosophical."

It was true. She went overboard involving Itachi's and Kakashi's past. She didn't mean for the conversation to get so far and somewhat off track. She wanted to slap herself for revealing too much.

"You guys don't need to worry about things. Just keep focusing on what your goals. And just remember… Alchemists are those who endure."

She ruffled both of their heads like she used to do when they were little. She felt a pang of happiness when Ed didn't flinch away from her teach or ferociously slap her hand away. Maybe because he was too shell shocked to do so. Either way, it made her incredibly happy to be doing this again.

"H-how do you know all this, sister?" Alphonse asked, hesitantly, voice full of apprehension and curiosity.

Naruko abruptly stopped and moved her hands away from her brothers' heads. She was silent for a few seconds before standing up, heading towards the door. Her hand was on the handle.

She took a deep breath. She definitely went too far. "When you travel a lot, you tend to learn a few things," she answered, cryptically, but also in a tone that implied to drop the subject. Her usual tone of dismissal that Ed was all to aware of, and found easily recognizable by this point.

She silently opened the door and closed it behind her with a soft thud, leaving Ed and Al in a state perpetual confusion and at loss for words.

Utter silence filled the room.

"Brother? What do you think about the stuff sister said?" Alphonse asked, tentatively. "Do you think what sister said is true? I can't imagine the military sending kids out to fight or even kill."

Edward did not want to believe it either. He means the whole thing just sounded so fucked up, it was far fetched and just not possible. Though there was some things he did pick up on, like she never said the war was the Ishvalan Civil War. Does that mean she was hinting at a different war? Maybe Cretan or Drachma.

None of it makes any sense!

Ed groaned in frustration as forcibly hit his back against the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Brother…?" Al said, worriedly.

The blond alchemist ignored him, his thoughts racing a million miles a minute. But there was one thing for sure is that he would _never_ forgive Scar for killing Nina, and how _dare_ she try to make him! He could feel his anger and rage boiling. Scar is nothing but a cold blooded serial killer hiding behind his god and justice for his shallow revenge.

" _But if you really think about, it's the military who's responsible for Nina's death. They created Scar, so, in a way, they are indirectly responsible for her death."_

His furious scowl contorted into one full of doubt, suspicion and uncertainty. When had Naruko become so...knowledgeable and so full of wisdom? He was even more agog to find out what his sister had been up to in the past ten years.

"I don't know, Al," Ed finally answered his younger brother's question. "I just don't know."

* * *

Naruko tiredly leaned herself against the wall of her room, mentally berated herself. What the hell was she thinking? She didn't… She never meant for the conversation to be taking so far, to unwanted territory.

And now she just piled onto Ed's and Al's curiosity. They would be even more determined to ask her about her past. How did she learn all those things? Who told her? Stuff like that.

The blonde Uzumaki lazily flopped down on her own guest bed. So much for keeping the life of shinobi a secret. The only thing she could say is that she never mentioned anything about being ninja or being involved in one. But she wondered how long that would last?

Edward and Alphonse are very intelligent and perceptive, young boys. If she keeps spilling things out like this, they would catch up to her little ruse and put the pieces or their sister's cryptic jigsaw puzzle together.

She groaned to herself, feeling the weight of how utterly stupid she is. That's it! No more talking about her past! Everything concerning towards her shinobi would be kept confidential and under wraps.

The only why Naruko would, accidentally, spill the beans is if some bastard comes along and flaunts his ninjutsu around, like some circus monkey.

* * *

Naruko sat and listened as Edward and Alphonse tragically told their teacher, Izumi, their life's story about what led them to perform Human Transmutation and subsequent, terrifying, and calamitous result because of it.

If she didn't feel guilty before, she was absolutely downright remorseful now. She wondered if it would've been a good idea to have taken her brothers with her, after all. Didn't have to be ninjas. They could become carperttens or a jack of all trades of sorts with their alchemy.

" **And you believe they would just go along with it?"** Kurama asked her. She could feel the fox shift inside her. Naruko remained silent, not knowing what to say. **"Face it! They would've gone through with that Human Transmutation, no matter what. They are just as stubborn and determined as you are. Especially, that shrimpy one. He's almost like a male version of you in that regard. It's sick and uncanny."**

Naruko giggled while Kurama complained in a non hostile, playful banter.

" **Except he's not a complete idiot."**

" _Hey!"_ she mentally roared at the fox, indignantly. But she could partially admit that Kurama was right. Even if she did take her younger brothers with her after their mother died, there was no guarantee they wouldn't pursue Human Transmutation a different way.

Though, that didn't diminish her guilt.

" _I really am a failure of a big sister."_

* * *

A young, raven haired man was standing atop of a building. It seemed to be some sort of workshop. A mechanical workshop by the smell of oil and machinery.

No matter, Sasuke could still feel strong trances of Naruko's chakra, thanks to his Rinnegan, meaning she was here not that long ago.

Just that two young girls appeared out of the shop. One was a blonde and the other dark skinned. They seemed to be chatting about something. Whatever it was held no interest to him. That was until he heard the blonde, blue eyed one speak a familiar name.

"I'm actually quite jealous that Naruko gets so many love letters."

" _Naruko?"_ Sasuke thought, his interest piqued. He ignored the part about guys checking her out as it wasn't that much of a secret of how famous she became after the war. She was a living legend. What he was more interested in what these girls had to say about his old teammate and best friend.

"Any idea in why they are such a rush to get to Dublith?" the dark skinned one asked.

The blonde sighed in exasperation. "It's Ed and Al. They are always in a rush. Luckily, Naruko is with them. She should keep her brothers in line."

Sasuke walked away, hopping from one rooftop to another. Naruko was in a place called Dublith. That's all he needed to know. And now he just needed to a map to locate just where that place is.

* * *

 **(A/N: That's the end of chapter eight! I hoped you enjoyed it! Well, this chapter went totally unexpected. I thought, I'd be able to get straight to Greed and his crew, but I didn't realize Naruko telling the tale about her teacher would be so long.**

 **At first, I didn't know if it was right to stick the philosophies of Naruto in here, but I figured it was okay because it was Naruko discussing. It shows what she's learned throughout her time away from Edward and Alphonse.**

 **Speaking of which, Naruko isn't really agreeing with Scar, but she clearly understands his reasons for killing. The same way she understood Gaara, Nagato, and Obito. Naruko is just that empathetic. And she also didn't realize that Ed and Al knew who Scar was, so she really surprised and shocked to know they bare a grudge against him because he killed someone close to them. A sentiment she's all too familiar with. And I just would like to put at that no, Naruko has never meant Scar. But she has seen wanted posters of him. I mean, I saw Scar wanted posters when I was rewatching the Rush Valley and Dublith episodes. And since Naruko has been established to be well aware of the Ishvalan Civil War, it's not that hard for her to put two and two together. The military killed Scar's family and friends, and now Scar's killing the military out of revenge. It's the cycle of revenge all over again. A tragic cycle she's dealt with many, many,** _ **many**_ **times before.**

 **And Naruko vaguely talking about Itachi's and Kakashi's past. I know we all have that moment when we talk, and we just...sometimes...either, accidentally, say more than we need to, or go in a completely different yet, sometimes, not so different direction.**

 **Well, leave any thoughts, comments, suggestions, and questions in a review, and thanks for reading!)**


	9. The Devil's Nest

**(A/N: Here's chapter nine! Now, we are getting to Greed. Can't wait! Enjoy!**

 **Drake G. Reaper: Thanks for reviewing! I really don't know what to say because I don't want to spoil anything. I would say that some of that's going to happen very briefly, but none of it is going to work, thanks to Kurama and Naruko's strong will. I highly doubt a bunch of weak souls would overpower Kurama. Not to mention, Naruko's Sage Mode could turn them into stone.**

 **a5thKira: Thanks for the review! Oh, you are going to have to wait a little while for that. One thing at a time since Naruko is even more determined to keep her mouth shut about her shinobi affairs.**

 **almp15: Thanks for reviewing! You would have your answer as you read the chapter.)**

* * *

The Devil's Nest

Naruko followed the dejected forms of her younger brothers as they were about to board a train heading towards Rush Valley. She asked them twice before what was wrong, but all she got was a pained silence in return.

"Whenever you guys are in town, be sure to drop by," Sig informed them, bidding farewell. "You're welcome to come, too, Naruko."

Naruko bowed slightly at the bulky man. "Thanks for the hospitality.

Her little brothers, however, seemed hesitant and unsure.

"I-I don't think we can," Alphonse uttered, despondently.

"You idiots!" Sig shouted at them. "You're too busy pouting, you don't realize what you're expulsion means. Now that you are no longer Izumi's students, you can talk to her like an equal. Unless, you're too scared to try."

Naruko sighed and shook her head. That's what her brothers were so down about? They could be such idiots.

They seemed to realize it, too, as they marched straight back to Izumi, determined to get the answers they came for in the first place.

"Don't let her kill you," Sig called out after them.

"Sometimes I wonder, for such geniuses, they could be so stupid at times," Naruko sighed.

Both her and Sig shared a look before smiling.

* * *

After all that was settled and done, they were back into their usual routine.

Naruko was sweeping the front of the shop alongside her brother, Alphonse. Izumi and Sig were such nice and hospitable couple, it was the least she could do.

Though, she couldn't get the conversation of last night out of her head. The guilt, the remorse she felt for leaving her kid brothers alone like that. She sighed.

Al must've heard her dispirited sigh. He glanced over to her. "What's wrong, sister?" he asked, voice full of concern.

The blonde woman looked back at him before facing, too guilt ridden to stare her youngest brother in the eye. Her slightly tanned hands clutching the broom she was holding.

"Al?" she said, her voice low.

"Hmm?" Al tilted his helmet head a little.

"Do you…?" She swallowed a lump in her throat, her nerves making it hard for her to talk. This wasn't like her to chicken out. She had gather the courage to pull the bandage off quickly as possible, no matter how painful it might be. She needed to ask this dreaded question, or else she wouldn't be able to move on from her guilt. "Do you hate me?"

"What?" the suit of armor gasped out in shock, wondering if he heard her right.

"I mean, do you hate me for leaving?" she elaborated, her tone filled with regret and sadness. "I understand if you do. I am terrible big sister, after all. But I really am trying my best to make it up to you, both of you."

"Sister," Alphonse uttered out in shock and surprise. Then his voice softened. "Sister, I could never hate you."

Naruko stared up at him, cerulean blue eyes wide with disbelief.

"I am upset that left us for ten years," Al continued, softly. "But you're my sister, and I care about you. And I'm really happy you came back to us just like you promised."

The blonde woman smiled, widely. "Thanks, Al. I wish I could say the same for Ed, though. I know that Ed hates my guts."

"Well, you know, brother. He could stubborn and difficult at times," the suit of armor laughed.

"Yeah," she laughed along.

Just then a balled up roll of paper flew over the rooftop and landed by Al's feet. He glanced around, warily before picking it up and unraveling it.

"I know your secret. Come meet us at the Devil's Nest," Naruko read, looking over her brother's shoulder. Al jumped back, frantically in response. However, she just glared at him, accusingly. "You're not planning on going there, are you, Al?" she questioned, suspiciously.

"No, of course not!" Alphonse responded, feverishly, innocently returning back to his sweeping.

Naruko gave him a sideways glance before picking up her own broom.

* * *

Alphonse crossed a corridor as he managed to escape his sister. When Naruko decided to head back inside, he took the opportunity to sneak out. He mentally apologized to her, but this was something he had to. These guys that gave him that letter… They know his secret, so they might know a way to return his and Ed's bodies back to normal.

Though, the thought of what his older sister might do to him terrified him. _"I'll make it up to her. I promise,"_ he thought to himself.

"So? You've decided to come?"

Alphonse stared ahead to see three people waiting for him. Two men, one tall and bulky, the other one short and somewhat muscular, and a slender, short haired woman.

"'I know your secret'," Al reiterated the letter that was sent to him. "I'm guessing you guys are the ones who sent the letter. What do you want from me?"

"Come with us," the short man commanded.

"I'm sorry, but I was told not to go with strangers."

The same man gave him an incredulous look. "How old are you kid?"

"Fourteen."

He shook his head. "Fourteen? That's old enough to start acting like an adult, and think for yourself, kid."

"Really?" Alphonse exclaimed, joyfully. "I should think for myself?"

"Yes. Now come wi-"

He was rudely cut of by a powerful kick to the face.

"I thought it over to myself, I've decided to just make you guys tell me what I want to know," Al pronounced with a hint of danger in his tone.

The short man tsked, wiping the blood from his mouth. "Guess we'll have to do this the hard way."

He drew his sword, but was slammed across the face with a rough shove. However, he managed to knock out Al's helmet off.

"Don't mind me." The woman slithered inside Alphonse's hollowed shell.

"Eww! Gross!" Al proclaimed in disgust, squirming around, trying to get the woman out. His body, unfortunately, froze when the slithery woman seized control of it.

"How does it feel to be controlled from the inside?" she taunted, arrogantly.

"You can't keep this up forever!" Al protested, trying hard resist her control.

"I don't have to," the woman replied. "This is only to buy time."

As she said that, the large, bulky man came behind Alphonse and knocked on the back of his head with his hammer, rendering the poor soul bounded armor boy unconscious.

"You made this harder than it had to, kid," the short man grumbled, somewhat irritably.

Just then, the large man was knocked aways from Al's body with a painful kick to the gut.

"Who are you?" the short man growled at the newcomer. It was a slender woman of average height with blonde hair tied into a messy bun and brilliant, cerulean blue eyes. She was dressed in orange and black, and stared down at them with a fierce glare.

"Someone's who's going to kick your ass."

In a split second, she charged at him, sending a powerful punch that knocked him square across the face, catching him by surprise as he made a small grunt of pain.

"You little bitch…!" the man snarled, wiping the blood from his nose. He held out his sword, and swung it at her, which she effortlessly dodged. She took her own kunai and slashed it across the man's neck, digging deep into the flesh.

"Stop! Or I'll scratch out his blood seal!" the short haired woman shouted, desperately from inside Alphonse's armor.

The blonde woman instantly froze and seized her attack, stepping away from the short man. The man growled, viciously at her in return, holding his bleeding neck.

"What's going on here?"

They all turned to see a tall, lean man with sunglasses and a feathery collared jacket approaching them.

"We've got it under control, Greed," the short man informed with a proud smirk, looking at the blonde as if he was saying she was dead meat now.

The person called Greed instantly took notice of the new blonde, and sent her a sly grin that sent a shiver of disgust pulsing down her spine. "And who is this?" he asked in a suave manner.

The blonde woman only snarled at him, cerulean blue eyes glaring at him, icily.

* * *

Edward was worried. He hadn't seen Al anywhere for a while. And yeah, Naruko was missing, too, but he wasn't worried about her. Him being worried about her would imply that he cares about her, which he doesn't. But still, she is only a civilian. Alphonse could take care himself, but not Naruko. He would admit, only to himself, that her opening up to them that night was...nice. But it doesn't pay back the pain of a decade of abandonment.

Unaware of his surroundings, he accidentally bumped into someone. "Hey! Could you watch where you're going?" he grumbled, irritably as he rubbed his slightly bruised nose.

Golden eyes glanced up at the guy he knocked into. He had a tall, slightly lean build. He had black hair that reached the bottom of his neck with his bangs covering his left eye. He had fair skin, his visible eye was coal black, and a black cloak was covering his entire body. The only thing visible was the strange open toed, black sandals he wore that reached all the way up to his ankles. He was about a head or two taller than him, much to his annoyance.

This guy's whole demeanor just screamed tall, dark, and mysterious.

Ed frowned. He didn't like the way this guy was looking at him. An expression full of indifference. "Can I help you?"

The man's dark eye glanced at him up and down as if scrutinizing him. "Blond hair. Golden eyes. Short," he muttered under his breath, but Ed heard him.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING MICROSCOPIC PIPSQUEAK?!" Edward roared, infuriated. He launched a punch at the man, but the man caught his fist with a dark gray, fingerless glove covered hand like it was nothing.

Ed growled about to gear up for another strike.

"Do you know Naruko?"

Edward backed up in surprise, the question catching him slightly off guard before glaring at the man. "How do you know Naruko's name?" he asked, suspiciously.

The man merely gave Ed a blank look before digging inside his coat. He took out a small envelope and held it out to him. "Give this to her."

"Why should I?" the blond alchemist challenged. "And just who the hell are you?"

The man didn't say anything just stared him with the same deadpanned expression.

Urgh! This guy was already starting to get on Edward's nerves. His lack of response was aggravating. He ripped the envelope from the guy's hand. He stared at, golden eyes looking it over to see any writing on it or anything of the sort.

"What's this? Another love letter?" he scoffed. When he glanced up from the envelope, he discovered that the black haired man was already gone.

"Where did he go?" Ed mumbled in confusion.

* * *

Naruko grunted as she was roughly thrown to the ground, her hands tied behind her back. She hissed at Greed when he tried to cup a feel.

He backed away until he was about a foot in front of his crew. "My name's Greed. And I would like to be your friend."

"Funny way of showing it," Naruko growled.

He leaned in towards her brother, and Naruko glared him, threateningly, daring him to try anything. He lifted off Al's head. "Cool," he said, staring inside Al. "You're actually hollow inside."

"Just tell me what you people are?" Al asked in a surprisingly calm voice.

"How's it like having soul bonded to a suit of armor?" Greed answered his question with another question.

Naruko glared at the guy with hate filled gaze, not liking where this conversation was going. "Just what the hell do you want with my brother?"

"Whoa, take it easy." Greed held his hands up as if to say he means no harm. "You see, I want everything! Money, power, women, sex! I want all the finer things in life, especially immortality!"

She should have expected as much from someone called Greed. A living embodiment of an avaricious desire to possess anything and everything.

"A soul bonded armor seems like a perfect recipe for immortality," Greed continued with a gleam in his eyes.

Cerulean blue eyes narrowed, dangerously. "Why do you even care? You're one of those homunculus creatures, aren't you? Aren't you supposed to be immortal?"

"I'm surprised you know about us," he said, slightly shocked, but it didn't last long. "I had lived for over two hundred years, but I wouldn't exactly call myself immortal," he elaborated. "Being able to move your soul into inanimate objects, now that sounds like worth my while!"

Both Elric siblings remained silent, one contemplating his options, the other snarling.

"You better start talking, unless you want to be dissected," the woman inside Alphonse warned him.

After a moment of silence, a boisterous laughter filled the room.

"What are you laughing?" one of the men with a short, yellow mohawk glared at the captive blonde, internally confused.

Naruko smirked. "You guys are gullible." With a hand sign, the armor that was _supposed_ to be her younger brother, Al, dispersed into a puff of smoke.

"What the-?" the short haired woman's cry of astonishment was cut off when a thread of wires were wrapped around her, trapping her.

The once captive blonde stood up on her feet, her ropes cut and falling to the floor, watching the various looks of surprise and dumbfoundment. "A word of advice, when you take someone's weapon, make sure to check their clothes as well," she grinned, darkly, holding out her kunai. She had entered Sage Mode.

There was another series of stunned gasps.

"You men don't have to be impressed." Cerulean blue eyes glared at all of them, threateningly. "Now, who wants to get their ass kicked first?"

* * *

"Al! Wake up! Al!"

The suit of armor's vision slowly returned to him. The first thing he saw was a pair of worried filled golden eyes staring at him. "Brother?" he whispered out with uncertainty.

Edward smiled, letting out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness you're okay, Al."

"Where am I?" Alphonse asked, dizzily, glancing around at his surroundings. They seemed to be in a random alleyway. But how did he get here?

"What happened to you, Al?" Ed asked. "How in the world did you end up here?"

"I don't know," Al stated, confused, recalling his memories before he was rendered unconscious. "I was...just walking, and I...think someone hit me in the back of the hand."

Ed frowned, checking Al over. "Well, whoever it was, it doesn't seem like they did anything to you, other than knock you out. By the way, have you seen Naruko?" he added as if it was an afterthought.

"Huh? Sister's not with Teacher?" Al shouted in shock.

"Uh, no," the blond alchemist said, confused. "I thought she was with you."

"Could it be…?" the suit of armor mumbled to himself. "Brother, you don't think sister was kidnapped, do you?" he asked, fear and worry clear in his hollowed voice.

Yellow eyebrows scrunched together. "Why would anyone kidnap her?"

"Well, earlier I received a note saying that the person who wrote knows our secret," Al explained. "Unfortunately, sister was there. They must be using her as a ransom! We have to save her!"

Ed seemed to contemplate this. As much as he disliked Naruko, he couldn't just leave her at someone else's mercy, especially since she's innocent in all this. This is his and Al's burden to deal with.

"Do the note say anything about where to meet?" he finally asked.

Alphonse nodded his head. "Some place called the Devil's Nest."

* * *

Naruko stared down at her final opponent, Greed, her Sage Mode deactivated. His henchmen laid sprawled around on the floor, beaten to a bloody pulp. She hadn't even broken a sweat.

"You're pretty tough for a woman," Greed smirked. "That's a pretty interesting alchemy you got going on. Normally, it isn't my style to be fighting women."

Naruko grinned, dangerously. "Back where I'm from, that sort of mentality would only get you killed."

She throw a powerful punch at him. Much to her surprise though, Here's skin hardened into some sort of dark gray substance. "What the?" She muttered out in confusion, the knuckles on her fist started dripping blood. She jumped away from him, staring at his now hardened torso.

"I hope I didn't break your hand," Greed grinned. "My Ultimate Shield tends to be a bit on the rough side."

The blonde woman shook her injured hand a little. "A body enhancement shield, huh? Looks like maybe I'm underestimating you homunculi just a little bit. Fine, I'll just have to break through that shield of yours!"

She threw a series of punches, which the homunculus produced his Ultimate Shield to reduce the damage to his body at the areas she was aiming at.

She placed a well aimed kicked at the guy's neck, but the only sound that was heard was the sound of her bones cracking.

This homunculus was tough. His skin was harder than diamonds! Guess, good of fashion taijutsu isn't going to cut it.

No matter, she won't let him lay a hand on her brothers!

"Are you done yet?" Greed drawled out, boredly. "I told you, no one can penetrate my Ultimate Shield."

Naruko smirked as if accepting that challenge. "Well, see about that."

She held her hand back, and Greed watched in fascination as a blue spherical ball of energy began to form.

"What's this? I've never seen that before! You are just full of interesting tricks!" he praised her. "First, the freaky eye color change, and now this weird ball of energy…"

"Well, don't be too impressed. This would be last thing, you'll ever see."

Greed braced himself as the blonde woman charged at him with a battle cry.

Suddenly, they heard banging coming outside. Gunshots soon followed.

Naruko clicked her tongue, her Rasengan dissipated. No doubt the military showed up. She had to get out of her before they find her.

"We'll finish this later," she told Greed before dashing off.

"Damn! Why did the military have to show up now of all times?" Naruko cursed internally. She ran down the sewers of the building. She needed to find where Greed and his henchmen kept her weapons pouch.

She hear the clear distinct sounds of gunshots being fired. Are they killing every person in this building? Why?

The blonde Uzumaki heard the sound of footsteps approaching the corner. With some quick thinking and a burst of chakra, she stuck to the ceiling. She watched silently as soldiers ran past, or underneath her in this case, guns poised and at the ready.

"Could you guys be more careful. Our sister is here."

Was that Al's voice?

"Where could they be keeping her?"

And that was Ed's.

Were they here? Looking for her? A soft smile spread across her face. That was sweet of them. She could her heart brimming with happiness at the thought of her younger brothers being concerned for her wellbeing.

She felt back for making them worry. Don't they know that their awesome big sister could take care of herself? She's a shinobi, after all!

Wait! They didn't know that, which is why they are looking for her in the first place.

No time to be wallowing in a cloud of elate, Naruko had to find her belongings. Luckily for her, the next she checked had her kunai pouch lying on the table. With smile, the blonde woman picked it up and placed it securely behind her back.

Soon enough, two soldiers barged into the room. They took a quick moment to check her over.

"Blonde hair, blue eyes… Looks like we've found her."

* * *

Edward and Alphonse were following after the soldiers, searching every nook and cranny in the sewers for Naruko. Al was getting increasingly worried when they couldn't find her anywhere.

"Ed? You don't think that sister's…?" Alphonse trailed off, unable to finish his question out of fear.

"Don't think like that, Al!" Ed interjected. He bonked his armor in a reassuring manner. "We'll find her!"

Al nodded, feeling a bit thankful for the reassurance. If he had a face, he would let out a small smile.

"Edward? Alphonse?"

Ed and Al's eyes widened as they heard a familiar female's voice call out of their names. They turned their heads, and much to their surprise and relief, they saw their older sister being escorted by two officers.

"Sister!" Alphonse shouted in solace as he jogged up to his sister, his metal feet clanging against the ground. He pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

"Al!" Naruko wheezed out. "I can't breathe!"

"Oh! Sorry, sister!" The suit of armor quickly released before he preventing any more air from entering her lungs. His glowing red eyes frantically roam her over to check for any signs of injuries.

"Sister, your hand's bleeding!" He took her injured left hand in his gauntlet ones, inspecting her bleeding knuckles.

Naruko let out of sheepish laugh. "I'm fine, Al. It doesn't hurt." She smiled though as her youngest brother still fretted over her. Her cerulean blue eyes to see Ed watching the scene with hardened golden orbs. Though, she could see a bit of softness in them. He cares and he's just as relieved that she's safe as Al is. Her stubborn brother just doesn't want to admit it.

"We should probably head back to Teacher, and get that wound bandaged up," Edward spoke up.

Naruko nodded in agreement, wanting to get away from these soldiers as quickly as possible. She still kept up her charade of a helpless victim, of course.

"Wait a moment, you three."

All three of the Elric siblings tilted their hands to see the Fuhrer approaching them with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Can we help you, sir?" Alphonse asked, tentatively.

"Why, yes." His single eye glanced over at Naruko. "I would like to ask the young lady a few questions."

Naruko resisted the urge to glare at him. _"Soldiers around. Soldiers around."_ She kept reminded herself. "Ask anything, _sir_ ," she bit out, begrudgingly.

King Bradley's eye narrowed at the subtle undertone of disrespect. He calmed himself to keep up his cool demeanor. "Did you happen to encounter a man in this place that goes by the name of Greed?"

"Yes," Naruko replied, shortly. "Although, I don't know what's so special about him, dattebayo. And what kind of name is 'Greed' anyway? Even as a nickname it sounds pretty lame."

"Did you happen to exchange any intel with the man?" Bradley asked, cutting of Naruko's rant.

" _No_ ," the blonde woman responded, sharply.

"Your arm… Is your injury somehow connected to your brother's metal prosthetic?"

The blonde Uzumaki clenched her bandage arm to herself. This guy was asking way too many questions. She could tell by the way he asked that he wasn't concerned, he just wanting to get some intel on her. Look at him! Flaunting his authority around…

Was it just them? Or could Ed and Al feel the air around them shift? The tension in the atmosphere was growing more intense and hostile by the second, making both boys wary.

They heard their sister take a sharp intake of breath. "No. I got this in a fire accident."

They watched, warily as the Fuhrer stared Naruko down. "Very well then."

They let out a breath of air they didn't realize they were holding.

"If that's all, sir, I would like to head back and get my wounds looked at."

King Bradley nodded his head, solemnly, dismissing the three siblings.

Edward and Alphonse didn't need to be told twice as they dragged their sister away. Something tells them that leaving the Fuhrer and Naruko in the same room together is _never_ a good idea.

* * *

Naruko laid down in her bed of the guest room she was staying in with the Curtis's. Her eyes roamed over her slightly bandaged left hand. She already knew her injuries were probably healed by now, thanks to Kurama. But she had to keep the bandages on for another day or two just for appearance sakes.

She heard a knock on the door. She sat up from the bed. "Come in!" she called out. Soon enough, the door opened to reveal her younger brothers as they stepped into the room. "What's up, guys?" she greeted them.

Alphonse approached her. "Sister, is your hand better?"

"Yeah," Naruko smiled, wiggling her fingers around, and clenching and unclenching her fist to prove her point. She noticed the guilty yet resolved looks on Ed's and Al's faces as if they came to some kind of decision. "What's wrong?" she asked, getting straight to the point.

"Well," Al fidgeted. "We've talked over, and… Sister, we think it's best…"

"...That you don't come with us anymore," Ed finished for Al.

Naruko's eyes narrowed. "What?"

"It's way too dangerous!" Alphonse cried out, concerned.

"This time you got off lucky, but who knows what would happen the next time?" Edward shouted, angrily, fists clenched at the sides.

The eldest Elric stared at her younger brothers before letting out a soft sigh. She stood up and walked towards them until she was standing a foot away from them. "Guys, listen," she said, hands on her hips. "I'm making my decision, and I'm staying!"

"But…" Al started.

"I don't care what happens!" she continued, determinedly. "We finally have time to bond after ten years, and I won't let anyone or anything get in the way of our family bonding time. So, you guys are stick with me in your, little adventure. Do I make myself clear?"

"You can't just do that! You have no id- Ow!" Edward yelped in pain, clutching his injured head where his sister drove a fist towards it.

" _Do I make myself clear, dattebayo_?" Naruko repeated, more forcibly.

"Fine. Whatever," Ed grumbled, nursing his injured head.

Naruko crossed her arms, feeling satisfied. "Good." She seemed to suddenly remember a crucial detail during her encounter with Greed. "I remember the guy called Greed had a weird tattoo on his hand." She shrugged. "Don't know what that means. Just thought I should tell you."

Edward and Alphonse both let out gasps of shock.

"A tattoo?! What did it look like?" Ed asked, frantically.

"I only caught a glimpse of it, but it...looked like some sort of snake eating its own tail." Naruko did not miss the way her brothers tensed.

Ed seem to shake his head, probably getting rid of any unpleasant thoughts he had. "Oh, yeah, almost forgot." He dug inside his pocket, and pulled out a small envelope. He handed it over to Naruko.

"What's this?" the blonde kunoichi asked, curiously, looking it over.

The blond alchemist shrugged, nonchalantly. "Some guy gave it to me. Said to give it to you."

Naruko proceeded to open the envelope.

"A guy gave it to you, brother?" Alphonse question out of curiosity. "What did you look like."

"Tall, dark," Ed answered, boredly, crossing his arms behind his head. "Super weird. He didn't talk much."

"He's here."

"Huh?" Ed and Al turned their heads towards their now softly smiling sister.

"Who wants dinner?" Naruko suddenly announced. She skipped out the room before they could offer a protest.

Okay… That was weird. Was it just their imagination? Or was Naruko incredibly happy all of a sudden?

* * *

 **(A/N: Well, that's the end of chapter nine! I hoped you enjoyed it! So, yes! Finally! As you can tell, Naruko and Sasuke are finally going to be reunited next chapter! Sasuke's finally going to make his appearance into the main cast!**

 **At first was going to play the whole episode like it was in Brotherhood, except with Naruko into the mix, but then I thought… There are a lot of stupid points that I've never noticed before. Like for one, and this is the one that kick starts the whole episode, why the fuck would Al go meet Greed and his cronies alone? Like seriously, 'that's some too dumb to live' shit right there. I perfectly understand not wanting to get others involved, but he should have brought Ed along as well. I mean, it isn't just his secret, it's Ed's, too. Didn't he think for a second that there may be an ambush waiting for him? My only guess is, that despite how much he loathes it, he's counting too much on the whole 'I'm just a soul attached to a suit of armor' predicament, giving him some form of cockiness. Not to the extent of Edward, but still… And I think I'm the only who's ever noticed that.**

 **So, Naruko realized that, knocked Al out, and used a clone to take his place. And the rest, well, the rest you already know.**

 **Did you guys like the meeting with Ed and Sasuke? It was pretty difficult, yet interesting for me to write. If you think it's OOC in any way, you guys could tell me, and I would work on improving it. The meeting was mostly from Ed's perspective. I always imagined Ed quickly losing his patience and temper with Sasuke's aloof attitude. Ed asking him question after question, and Sasuke just not answering, flat out ignoring him, or using his signature 'hn'.**

 **And for Sasuke's appearance. Just imagine how adult Sasuke looks like. And I hope I'm not the only one who finds adult Sasuke hot!**

 **Anyway, leave any comments, questions, or suggestions in a review, and thanks for reading!)**


	10. Meeting of the Times

**(A/N: Here's chapter ten! The moment you've all been waiting for! Sasuke finally makes his appearance! Yep, introducing him in the same episode Brotherhood starts getting good. Enjoy!**

 **Carrie1696: Thanks for the review! Naruko won't be revealing her ninja skills for quite a while. But there would be moments that she would drop her 'weak civilian' facade in front of Ed and Al when she gets into that 'battle ready' mentality.**

 **clonetrooper29: Thanks for reviewing! Well, I'm not going to satisfy everybody. But I think you're forgetting that Greed's Ultimate Shield is harder than diamonds. And diamonds are said to be harder than steel. And I've watched Naruto four times [mind you, re-watching part one Naruto was absolutely cringe worthy. Pre-timeskip Naruto was so annoying and irritating that eighty percent of the episodes was aggravating to listen to. I can't tell you the number the times I wanted to punch my computer screen. So glad that Naruto matured and mellowed out after the timeskip]. Naruto had never once shown the strength to shatter steel in his regular mode [not using Sage or Kurama Mode]. Maybe rocks, but not steel. I think you are forgetting that Naruko's Sage Mode was deactivated. And maybe you've read too many OP Naruto fanfics, and just picked up on that misconception. And Naruko is similarly to canon Naruto, except she was, for a short time, she was raised by a loving family. So, she might be a little different from canon Naruto, seeing as she wasn't _completely_ unloved during her childhood.**

 **Greer123: Thanks for reviewing! Oh, good. Thought he might have turned out a bit OOC.**

 **Awesomeness: Thanks for the review! It would be little bit longer before Ed and Al would see Naruko fight. But I do tend to make it as epic and thrilling as possible. I have thought about Ling recognizing Naruko and Sasuke. But seeing as many other FMA/Naruto stories do the same, I've decided not to. Make it different. Plus, it leaves room for drama since Xingese people are able to see people's ki. More people, unintentionally, trying to blow Naruko's cover.)**

* * *

Meetings of the Times

Winry just finished fixing up her next customer for the day. Ever since she started working for Garfiel, her skills as a mechanic improved tremendously. Garfiel may be a eccentric, but he was a great automail engineer!

The mechanic opened the garage of the shop, making her way outside. She stretched out her tired limbs, enjoying the beat of the sun's rays against her skin.

"Winry!"

The blonde girl perked up when she heard a familiar feminine voice call her name. The figures made their appearances known in her line of vision.

"Ed! Al! Naruko! Welcome back!" Winry called out to them, waving happily.

Naruko sprinted up to the younger blonde with a speed of hurricane, and clasped her hands, cerulean blue eyes beaming with excitement. The older woman was practically bouncing on her fight.

"Hehe! What's gotten you so excited about, Naruko?" Winry questioned with a smile.

The blonde kunoichi whistled. "Oh, nothing!"

"Hey, Winry."

"Hi, Winry!"

Both Edward and Alphonse greeted their blonde childhood friend as they approached the duo.

Winry's pale blue eyes threw Ed an accusatory glare. "What have you done to your automail _this_ time, Ed?"

"We haven't seen you in over a week, and that's the first thing you have to say to me?!" Ed shouted, indignantly.

The blonde mechanic crossed her arms, frowning. "Well, excuse me! Because every time you _do_ come to visit me, it's because you need repairs on your automail."

Her frown seemed to soften into a small, pleased smile. "But it looks like for once, you didn't ruin all my hardwork. We should probably give your automail some maintenance, Ed, because I highly doubt you did it yourself," she finished, motioning for them to come inside.

Edward grumbled under her breath, and proceeded to walk inside the automail shop with Alphonse by his toes.

"While you guys do that, I'm going out!" Naruko announced, gleefully before racing off, leaving Winry somewhat confused.

"What was that all about?" she asked herself.

* * *

Naruko eagerly hopped from rooftop to rooftop across the streets of Rush Valley, her two inch heels clicking silently against the hard surface. A brief sudden conscious reminder to act inconspicuous. She could help the burst of adrenaline and excitement she felt.

She was finally going to meet him!

 _She was finally going meet Sasuke_!

Can anyone blame her for being this thrilled at the prospect of seeing her old teammate? This is the first time they are seeing each other that Sasuke wasn't out to kill her, and she wasn't chasing after him.

She wondered what the bastard had been up to for the past year since he left on his redemption journey. She ignored the fluttering of her stomach and the rapid acceleration of her heartbeats as she jumped over another rooftop, landing in front of a familiar black haired man.

The man's onyx eyes took a moment to regard her before softening.

A wide, bright smile spread across Naruko's face. "Long time no see, Sasuke!"

* * *

Edward laid down on a makeshift bed, already stripped down to his boxers.

"Do you guys have any idea where your sister ran off to?" Winry asked as she dug through her tool box to pull of the necessary equipment to prepare for Ed's maintenance.

"No clue," Ed said, pondering that himself.

"Sister's been giddy and excited like that since last night," Alphonse informed.

The blonde mechanic blinked. "Last night? Any particular reason why?"

"She got this letter from a guy," Ed shrugged. He instantly flinched in confusion when Winry let out a loud squeal. "What?!"

The blonde mechanic ignored his annoyed shouting, off in her own little world. "A letter? From a guy? And she went off to meet him?!" Another chorus of girlish squealing erupted from her.

Ed and Al could only blink in puzzlement, wondering what's gotten Winry so excited?

Sigh. Girls are so weird.

* * *

Naruko felt so incredibly happy. She had never felt as blissfully happy as she did at this very moment. She eyed the dark haired man walking next to her under the blazing heat of the sun. Man, Rush Valley was hot! Not as hot as Suna, but still… How could Sasuke be wearing his cloak under this searing weather? Doesn't the heat bother him?

"Not that I'm not glad to see you, Sasuke, but what brings you _here_ of all places?" she asked, genuinely interested. "I thought the next time I'd see you was when you returned to the Hidden Leaf."

Naruko honestly wanted to know what brought him to Amestris. He couldn't have known that this place existed, right? Most of people, including her former classmates and Team Gai doesn't.

"Kakashi sent me," Sasuke replied, simply.

"Oh." There was a short pause. "Oh!" Naruko's cerulean blue eyes widened at the sudden realization of the implication of what that meant. No wonder he seemed kind of upset with her. For many, it would be heard to tell what Sasuke was thinking or feeling due to his expressions of indifference and aloofness, but she had known him for a long time, she was his closest friend after all, she could read the subtle signs of his body language. The way his muscles tensed, the tighten of his jaw, his slightly arched black brow… All signs of his unpleasant mood.

The blonde Uzumaki let out a short sigh. She already knew the reason why he was upset with her. Even Kakashi sent him, then he must've told him. Told him that she has a two adoptive younger brothers here. Clearly, he was a bit hurt that his best friend kept such a secret from him. Hell, she would be, too, if Sasuke kept such a secret from her.

But Sasuke could cut her some slack. These past few years weren't really the best time to tell him. With him being overwhelmed with insanity driven madness. What was she supposed to say then? 'Hey, Sasuke! I got a two younger brothers, if you want to kill them, too'. She inwardly snorted at the absurdity of it. As if she let any harm come to Ed and Al. Over her dead body!

"Look, Sasuke. I'm sorry."

Sasuke tilted his head towards his old female teammate, only an arch of his brow indicating his slight puzzlement. Naruko bit her bottom lip, unable to look at him in the eye, a pink tinge of embarrassment grazing her cheeks.

His coal black eye stared straight ahead again as they were strolling down the streets of this dry and arid town. All around him, people were working on metal prosthetics. It didn't necessarily pique his interest, but he did note that it would make a convenient use for some puppet masters, if they were willing to make puppets entirely mechanical. Makes them more sturdy, for one.

He closed his eyes, breathing out, calmly. "Don't be, dobe."

Naruko smiled at the familiar nickname, seeming to relax. "Teme." She eagerly grabbed his single arm, pulling him forward. "C'mon, let's go eat dattebayo. We have a lot to discuss about our mission."

* * *

Edward took a leisure stroll down the streets of Rush Valley. He opted not to wear his leather jacket and red coat because the sultriness of the town. He took a sip of his orange juice as he looked around for his sister. They were leaving to Central as soon as Winry was done getting some supplies. She was excited to meet the Hughes family again.

He stopped when he noticed the distinct lack of metal clinking behind him. He tilted his head back, and, sure enough, Al was nowhere to be found.

"Al? Where'd you go?" Ed wondered, confused. Something gray and metallic was caught in his peripheral vision. He turned his head to confirm that it was Al crouched down in front of any alleyway. "What? Did you find another cat?" Ed grumbled as he approached his little brother, already preparing a speech about how they can't keep pets.

Alphonse, in response, sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Well… Not exactly." He lifted his other arm to reveal a collapsed young boy.

Ed shockingly did a spit take at the absurdity of it.

* * *

" _How much can these guy eat?"_ was Edward's first thought as watched with a grimace of annoyance as he scarfed down another bowl.

"Whoa…! You guys are lifesavers!" the stranger exclaimed, happily patting his stomach. "Your treat, right?"

Ed glared at him. "Who says I'm paying?"

"Don't get worked up over something so small," he chuckled.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SMALL?!" the blond alchemist furiously roared.

This only caused the strange boy to laugh even louder.

"So?" Alphonse started, trying to break the ice. "What were you doing collapsed in the middle of the street like that?"

"Oh, I ran out of food," he answered, simply.

"We could tell," Ed griped, wondering how much this was going to cost him.

The dark haired boy ignored him. "I come from Xing."

Ed and Al took a moment to ponder that new information. "Xing? That's...east of the desert!" they both exclaimed in alarm.

"Why would you cross the desert?!" Edward demanded, questioning the Xingese guy's insanity.

"Well, I wanted to visit the ruins of Xerxes," he replied, simply, almost offhandedly.

Ed's expression contorted into one of confusion. "Xerxes? I heard there was nothing there."

The Xingese stranger began explaining how wanted to know more of the foundation of alkahestry, and, to an extent, alchemy. He explained that alkahestry is a form of alchemy with practices in healing and medicine. But he wanted to know about Amestris's alchemy, so that's why he came to this country, to study it.

Fascinated by the prospect of learning a different form of alchemy, Edward and Alphonse eagerly asked the Xingese male to show them some alkahestry. However, much to their surprise and Ed's added frustration, he didn't know how to perform alkahestry.

"Then why are you studying alchemy in the first place?" Ed cried, feeling irritated with this guy.

"Well, I came to require a certain object," he said, cryptically. "An item that said to grant immortality." Ed and Al tensed, knowing where this was handed. "The Philosopher's Stone." Of course. "You guys know about it, right?"

Ed scoffed. "Look, we don't know anything about the stone."

The Xingese fellow leaned back, regarding the two with a subtle look of incredulity. The blond alchemist was not a very good liar. "You wouldn't happen to be lying to me, would you?" With a snap of his fingers, two figures covered in black entered the seen, holding Ed and Al at knife point.

Great. Somehow, without planning to, they got into another fight. Why does trouble seem to follow them wherever they go?

* * *

Through the window of a small diner they found, Naruko and Sasuke could spot the alchemic streaks of alchemy as large, earthy walls was raised from the ground. Sasuke rose a questioning eyebrow, wondering if there was a battle happening in the middle of town.

Naruko sighed, resisting the urge to slap a palm against her forehead. Couldn't her brothers behave for one second while she was gone? "Just ignore it," she told Sasuke, exasperated.

She took a bite of the coffee cake she was eating for dessert. "So, there are these creatures called homunculi," she said after swallowing.

"Homunculi?" Sasuke questioned.

Naruko nodded, an expression of seriousness shown her face. "That's what they call themselves." Sasuke eyed, sternly, telling her to elaborate. "In my opinion, these homunculi aren't all that threatening." She leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms. "There are nothing like the Tailed Beasts, Madara, or even Kaguya. They seem to each possess one single superhuman ability. One could use shadows, similar like the Nara clan. The only difference is that while the Nara use shadows to immobilize enemies, this homunculus uses it as a straight out offensive attack, stabbing and slashing anything in sight. Another one can shapeshift, no different from using a transformation jutsu. And the last one I had a brief skirmish with could encase his body in some sort of diamond hard armor."

The blonde female leaned back to take another bite of her cake. "If I remember correctly…" She swallowed. "There names were Pride, Envy, and Greed." Her yellow eyebrows scrunched together in distaste. "If you ask me, there names are really dumb. Like the were named after some sort of human emotion or human desire or-"

"The Seven Deadly Sins."

Cerulean blue eyes glanced at the dark haired, young man sitting across from her, confusion clear in her blue orbs.

"The Seven Deadly Sins," Sasuke repeated. He was quick to pick up on the pattern of the theming names. "But this isn't something you could handle yourself? There must be more to it. Otherwise, you wouldn't need me."

"Aw! Teme! Aren't you glad to see me?" Naruko whined. She took a quick sip of her orange juice. "You are right. If it was simple as kicking all these homunculi asses and driving them out of the country, I would be able to handle it no problem! But it's more complex than that?"

"Complex?" Sasuke inquired, onyx eye narrowed.

"The Fuhrer, King Bradley," the blonde Uzumaki growled out the name. The black haired ninja could immediately tell that she felt some animosity towards this guy. "He's a homunculus as well. His real name is Wrath. And he's the leader of this country! I learned all this after the bastard tried to assassinate me because I called him out on his bullshit."

The young man hissed out a small breath. "That is a problem. If the enemy had slipped so far into power, we can't exactly kill them unless we want to be deemed as bloodthirsty murderers."

Naruko nodded her head, feeling aggravated by all this. "Yes, exactly. We can't really do anything to them. At least, not to Wrath." She let out a deep sigh. "I'm just stumped."

"Couldn't we just infiltrate the military?" the dark haired Uchiha suggested.

The blonde Uzumaki blinked once, then twice before her eyes widened and she let out an astonishing gasp. "That's a good idea, Sasuke! You could become part of the military! You'd be able to enter the enemy's base without drawing suspicion, not to mention it would cover any citizenship problems."

She pumped a fist to her chest. "Don't worry, bastard, I'd be there to support you all the way."

Sasuke rose an eyebrow at the implication. "Aren't you going to join, dobe?"

Naruko immediately panicked, becoming instantly flustered. '"Uh… Well… You see… I know a way for you to join the military!"

Naruko grabbed his arm, leading Sasuke out the diner, not before slapping a few bills on the table. The Uchiha, however, did not dismiss the way she blatantly ignored his question.

* * *

Edward was in a incredibly pissed off mood. Not only did that bastard, Ling, sick his lackeys on them, the resulting fight destroyed his automail. Oh, Winry's going to kill him!

When he entered Garfiel's shop, thankfully Winry wasn't there, his golden eyes immediately glared, heatedly at the Xingese boy casually sitting inside. "What the hell are you doing here?!" he shouted, furiously.

Ling laughed, wholeheartedly. "Relax. We're all friends here."

Another heated and tiresome argument soon escalated. This Ling guy was really starting to push Ed's buttons. The revelation that he was a prince of Xing left him and Alphonse into fit of laughter at the bizarreness. A prince begging people for food? That's hilarious!

Unfortunately, Winry arrived soon after, and Edward received a long and bloody lecture. The sun was starting to set and nightfall took its place.

"Sister's still not back yet?" Al wondered, starting to get a little worried.

"Oh," Winry perked up, beginning to reattach Ed's renewed automail. "I saw her a little while ago."

"Well? Why didn't you bring Naruko with you?" Ed asked with a slight impatience to his voice.

"Ed, I couldn't do that!" Winry shouted, horrified. Then she let out a small, girlish squeal. "Not when Naruko's on a date!"

"Wha?" Al trailed off, the puzzlement clear in his tone, wondering if he heard her right. "Sister is on a date?"

The blonde mechanic nodded enthusiastically. "Saw her with this _great_ looking guy," she sighed, dreamily. "She looked really happy!"

Ed tsked. "Naruko doesn't have time to be flirting. We have to leave for Central!"

Winry blue eyes glared him, icily, sending a frosty chill down Ed's spine.

Luckily, the aforementioned woman made her arrival. "I'm back, you guys! Dattebayo!" Naruko announced, cheerfully.

Edward rolled his eyes in exasperation. "It's about time you showed up, Naruko!"

The eldest Elric sheepishly scratched the back of her head. "Well, I've been kind of busy, and lost track of time."

As Ling was witnessing the little family bickering and greetings, his eyes narrowed at the new blonde woman. Something about her seemed off. He might not be an alkahestrist, but he was taught, like any other Xingese citizen, to feel a person's flow of ki.

And therein lays the problem. The young woman seemed to possess to types of energy flow. One was obviously hers. She felt like any other living human being. But the other… The other one felt much more dark and sinister. The thickness of its ominous aura left beads of cold sweat rolling down the back of his neck. It was so thick with malice and animosity that he could feel the pressure around him engulfing him into a sea of darkness.

This woman was not normal!

Naruko hummed as she glanced up to see an unfamiliar male approaching her. "Oh, hi!" she greeted, politely. "I didn't see you there, dattebayo. Can I help you?"

Much to everyone's shock and surprise, Ling pulled out his sword on her. "You!" he glared at her. "Just what the hell are you?!"

Naruko frowned, but internally she was beginning to panic as she took a sideways glance at Ed and Al. This guy… Was he some type of sensor? Could he sense Kurama inside her? Not good! Not good!

"Ling!" Al shouted in disbelief, stepping in front of his older sister, protectively. "What are you doing?!"

"Um, did I do something to offend you?" Naruko asked, trying to play up the innocent act. She was mentally begging the guy to just drop it. Don't blow her secret. Don't blow her secret in front of younger brothers, dammit!

"You're aura feels weird," Ling hissed. "It's unnatural and inhuman like. What the _hell_ are you?"

Edward, Alphonse, and Winry gazed between Naruko and Ling with obvious looks of confusion and bewilderment.

Two of Ling's retainers, Lan Fan and Fu, entered the fray, knives and swords pointed at the poor blonde Uzumaki as she was beginning to sweat bullets now, her panic mode and anxiety raising to new heights.

"What she is, is none of your business."

Everybody, except for Naruko who let out a relieved sigh, perked up in puzzlement. They turned to see a dark haired man entering the shop.

Ed's golden eyes widened as he immediately recognized the guy. "You! You're the guy at saw back in Dublith!" he exclaimed, pointing a dramatic finger at Sasuke.

Sasuke took a moment to eye Edward before swiftly dismissing him. "Hn."

Naruko pursed her lips, pouting. "Teme, don't be rude to my brother." She glanced over to Ed, Al, and Winry, knowing full well they wanted an explanation. "Ed, Al, Winry, this is Sasuke Uchiha. Sasuke, these are my adorable, little brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric." She pulled both of them into, pinching Ed's cheeks, much to his aggravation and annoyance. "And our childhood friend from Resembool, Winry Rockbell."

"Stop that, Naruko!" Ed shouted, angrily and feeling embarrassed, pushing his sister away. She pouted in response.

"You're Sasuke Uchiha?" Al inquired in slight awe.

Sasuke rose a brow, looking at the strange, walking, talking suit of armor that Naruko considers her brother. "Do you know me?"

Alphonse rubbed the back of his head. "Well, no. Sister talked a little about you, that's all."

The black haired Uchiha threw his questioning gaze at the blonde Uzumaki who blushed a deep, red crimson color, knowing what started the conversation they had when she told them about Sasuke.

"He's Sasuke?" Winry squealed in delight. "The Sasuke you told us about when you had your first kiss, Naruko? And you went on a date with him!"

Naruko blushed even more, feeling more flustered and embarrassed. A light dust of pink tainted Sasuke's cheeks as well as he remembered their first kiss. It was the day the graduated from the Academy. Why would she tell them that?

"Edward!" Naruko called out to her younger brother. "Do you know when the next State Alchemist Exam is?" she asked. She swiftly wanted to drop the subject of her and Sasuke kissing.

Ed rose questioning golden eyebrow at her strange question. "Next week, I believe. Why?"

The blonde kunoichi smiled, feeling satisfied. Her cerulean blue eyes gazed into the Uchiha's coal black ones, confidently. "All you have to do, Sasuke, is take the exams next week and pass it."

"Wait, you're an alchemist?" Al questioned, his interest piqued.

"What kind of alchemy do you use?" Ed asked, curiously.

Sasuke arched a brow. "Alchemy? I do-"

"Lightning!" Naruko shouted, quickly cutting Sasuke off. "Sasuke uses lightning alchemy!" The desperation and panic did not go unnoticed by the observant Uchiha.

Edward's and Alphonse's eyes widened in awe and disbelief. "No kidding? You can actually transmute lightning?" Ed shouted, awestruck.

Naruko nodded her head so rapidly, it felt like her neck might snap. "Yes! Yes, he can! Excuse us for just a sec."

"Don't move!" Lan Fan ordered, sending a death glare at the duo.

Sasuke glared at the young, wannabe ninja girl, coldly. "Move." The command was spoken so icily it left the three Xingese slightly frozen at the threat behind him. Their instincts immediately told that this guy...this guy was dangerous.

"Um, you guys really don't want to pick a fight with Sasuke," Naruko dissuade them. She really didn't want to cause a scene.

Both Fu and Lan Fan got into a battle ready stance, obviously ignoring her warnings.

"You guys really shouldn't fight," she tried again.

Fu scoffed. "Don't get cocky, thinking your alchemy would help you win."

"I'm not being cocky," Naruko retorted. Her expression turned grim. "You guys couldn't even beat my brothers, what makes you think you can take Sasuke on? That's like going from fighting a snake to challenging a fucking dragon."

Edward and Alphonse stared at their sister and then at Sasuke with wonder, awe, disbelief, and some incredulity from Ed's part.

"Plus, I don't like boring fights," the blonde kunoichi continued. "I caught a glimpse of your fight earlier with Ed and Al, and seen the aftermath. Does this look like the face of a girl who's afraid, intimidated, in awe, or even amused?"

"Uh, sister?" Al said, hesitantly. Ed, Al, and Winry were all staring at Naruko with various expressions of fear, puzzlement, awkwardness, and dumbstruck. Uh, where was this going?

"You guys fell for such an obvious trap and distraction, no less," she continued to rant, boredly. "A trap an eight year old would make at playground. It was like watching a circus act. And you guys want to fight Sasuke? That'd be like witnessing a clown show. If I have to watch that, then I'd be like a woman who's unsatisfied after having- And I'm just going to stop talking!"

Naruko instantly stopped herself from talking too much when she noticed the gobsmacked expressions she received, especially from her younger brothers. Crap! She only meant to scare the wannabes off. Trying to use a bit of psychological warfare. She really needed to watch what she says.

"A trap an eight year old would make?" Ed growled, angrily, brow twitching, tick marks forming.

She waved her hands in front of her face, innocently. "Hey! I was just talking out of my ass."

Sasuke seemed to take notice that the three Xingese people were gone. It didn't allude him to the fact that they used the window to escape while Naruko was ranting on about his strength, making him feel a bit smug.

"Uh? Who wants dinner?" Naruko quickly asked, taking out her bag to reveal several bento boxes.

* * *

The group of five gathered around a small table to eat Naruko's dinner. It was already too late to take the train, thanks to the little incident with Ling and cronies, so they opted to just head to Central first thing tomorrow morning, much to Ed's irritation.

"Okay, Sasuke," Naruko turned towards her wayward teammate. "We need a strategy on how we're going to tackle these exams." She swallowed a bit of rice. "I heard that the enemy has a fortress with three base of operations. One to the left, right, and one at top. While everyone is going there, guns blazing, you job would to sneak in back when the enemy's attention is drawn towards the commotion out front. Of course, it won't be easy. But with your skills, Sasuke, you shouldn't have any problems taken out any lookouts. You would invade into the enemy's blindspot and destroy his base of operations. Though, the enemy throw some tricks up his sleeve, so don't let your guard down. Rise. Repeat. Victory," she finished, triumphantly.

Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes, wondering if she was trolling or being serious. She's not even taken these exams seriously.

"What the _hell_ are you talking about?" Edward asked, incredulously. "The exams are nothing like that."

Naruko sighed, disappointed. "I know. But it would be so much cooler if it were. Imagine how much more intense it would be."

"Uh, Mr. Sasuke?" Alphonse called. "Where are you from?"

Naruko and Sasuke glanced at each other, already coming up with a decent cover story.

(FLASHBACK)

" _Sasuke, I need to ask a favor," Naruko suddenly spoke when it was just the two of them._

 _Sasuke eyed her with slight interest. "Favor?"_

 _The blonde Uzumaki frowned, a bit of guilt showing in her cerulean blue eyes. "My brothers… Ed and Al… They don't know that I'm a ninja."_

 _The black haired man scrunched a brow, silently telling her to elaborate._

 _The blonde Uzumaki fidgeted with her hands, nervously. "I never told them I went off to live in Konoha. They don't know that I became a kunoichi, about the ninja war, or even the fact that I have Kurama sealed inside me."_

 _The dark haired Uchiha frowned, knowing what it was like to have an older sibling keep one in the dark. "You need to tell them," he lectured._

" _I know. I know! It's just...not that easy."_

 _Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the blonde woman. Naruko was never one to back out of anything. The Naruko he knew was headstrong and charged at anything without a second thought, consequences be damned. Too see how so tense, so afraid was completely out of character._

" _Please! Please!" Naruko begged. "Sasuke, don't mention the fact that your ninja to Ed, Al, and Winry. I promise to tell them when the time's right. Just… Not now."_

(END OF FLASHBACK)

"Sasuke's from South City," Naruko answered. "He wanted to go to Central to take the State Alchemist Exam."

Edward's golden eyes narrowed at the dark haired man. "Why would you want to take the exams anyway?" he asked, suspiciously. "You do realize that in time's of a national crisis, you would probably be asked to take a life?"

Sasuke breathed out, calmly. "I'm well aware of that," he replied. "There's a mission I must complete. No matter the sins I must bare or the darkness that consumes me, I would complete it." He wanted to grunt of annoyance. That line sounded like something his old, revenge obsessed self would say.

Naruko jabbed his ribs. "Cool your jets, teme."

"And what goal is that?"

Uh, oh. Ed was getting more and more suspicious. This was not good. Ed had always been natural inquisitive and evasive. She had to think of something to distract him or satisfy his curiosity.

"None of your business."

The blonde kunoichi slammed her head against the table at Sasuke's blunt response. "Teme!" she shouted. "You don't have to be so rude!"

"Are you forgetting the reason why I'm taking these exams, usuratonkachi?" Sasuke whispered at her, coolly.

Naruko deflated a bit. "Yeah, I know, bastard." She sighed, heavily.

"Hey! Not to be rude," Winry spoke up. "But you only have one arm, don't you?" She's been noticing throughout the entire dinnertime that Sasuke had never so much as lifted his left arm. Handling everything with such skill and grace with his right arm, that it didn't seem to require two arms. Nobody would even notice the difference.

Naruko tensed up slightly at the question as memories of their final battle entered her thoughts. The enormous amount of anguish and heartache she felt was crushing her very soul. She thought that these emotions would soon come to past now that she saved Sasuke. But it wouldn't be that easy, would it? She couldn't just ignore the pain, no matter how hard she believed she could.

Sasuke eyed the disheartened blonde, a sensation of guilt plaguing at his heart, bitterly knowing how much he had hurt her in the past. What a selfish idiot he had been back them. If it wasn't for Naruko, he would still be that same, rage filled, revenge obsessed fool. His missing left arm is a constant reminder of his sins.

"I'm an automail engineer. I could make you an automail arm, if you like."

They seemed to have taken Naruko's dispirited expression as a sign that something tragically horrible had happened due to their looks of pity and sympathy. Something horrible did happen, but not in the way they were thinking.

"No thanks," Sasuke replied, simply.

"Look, buddy," Ed said, rudely. "Winry's a great mechanic. What reason would you have not to get automail? Two working arms are better than one."

It was at that moment, Naruko slammed her hands on the table, startling everybody, except Sasuke.

"Sister?" Al spoke, tentatively.

A split second later, Naruko ran out the door.

"Sister! Wait!" Alphonse called after her.

"I'll go after her," was Sasuke's response before he disappeared after her.

Ed, Al, and Winry could only look on with various expressions of bewilderment. What had gotten into Naruko?

* * *

Naruko didn't run very far. In fact, she was sitting on the roof of Garfiel's shop. She just needed to get away. Needed to time to cool the dull ache in her heart.

Ever since she realized her true feelings for Sasuke, being reminded of the past hurt a lot worse than it usual did. There was always this unbearable feeling of heartbreak and intense betrayal that would just never go away. Is this what people felt when they are betrayed by the person they love? This crushing river of anguish and despair? God, it hurts! It hurts so much!

Naruko felt Sasuke move in behind her.

"Dobe," he called out to her.

They glanced at each other, eyes meeting, cerulean blue looking into coal black, no words exchanging. No words needed to be exchanged. They could read each other's thoughts and emotions without having to utter a single word.

Sasuke smirked.

Naruko smiled, softly.

The gentleness of the night wind blowing through their clothes and hair.

Indeed, no words needed to be said.

* * *

 **(A/N: Well, that's the end of chapter ten! How'd you like Sasuke's introduction into the story, and his and Naruko's reunion? The chapter went like how I always imagined it would, though it was a bit longer. Naruko and Sasuke discussing plans about infiltrating the military, Sasuke finally making his presence known to Ed, Al, and Winry, Naruko trying to keep Sasuke from blabbering about his shinobi business, and Winry quickly discovering that Sasuke's one armed. Being a mechanic, I thought she'd be observant like that. Though, it's not like he was trying to hide it.**

 **Well, honestly, there's not much to say. Leave any comments, suggestions, or questions in a review, and thanks for reading!)**


	11. Fleeting Emotions

**(A/N: I wanted to hurry and this chapter up because I feel like the last chapter didn't do so well. Sigh, that's what I get for letting my imagination run wild instead of** _ **truly**_ **sticking to what I originally planned. I mean, the plot points I wanted were there, just some of them weren't executed as good as they could be. I tired you make Naruko come off as a little goofy because of all the people, unknowingly, putting a damper on her plans. After all, 'no suspects an idiot' is canon Naruto's motto. Hope this chapter pans out better. Enjoy!**

 **clonetrooper29: Thanks for reviewing! That's not true, at all. _Real_ diamonds won't shatter by a simple hammer. They must be talking about fake diamonds. Like the kind of diamonds you find on cheap jewelry. The only thing that could break a diamond is another diamond. Although, I don't know how much scientist and geologist have discovered other materials that could break down diamonds. All I know is that _ordinary_ hammers are _definitely_ not it. Unless, it's a specially crafted type of hammer. I usually don't trust random forums. It could be people just spouting nonsense to sound smart. And I thought I explained last chapter that it's canon Naruto, albeit with a few minor changes.**

 **Awesomeness3013: Thanks for the review! That's the best part I like about the relationship between Naruto and Sasuke in the anime. That they could just look at each other, bump fists, or trade blows, and have a whole _entire_ conversation in just a split second. It shows how much they understand each other on a spiritual level.**

 **Guest review [naruto]: Thanks for reviewing! Don't worry, Naruko would get rid of all the negative emotions that's keeping her from having a love life, eventually. )**

* * *

Fleeting Emotions

Naruko and Sasuke exited out of the train. They waited for her brothers and their mechanic to gather their things.

"So, first things first, we should probably find a hotel to stay in first," Naruko informed Sasuke. "Afterwards, we can go to the library to study up on alchemy. You need all the research materials you could get, Sasuke, if you want to pass that exam next."

Sasuke didn't speak, just attentively listening to the female Uzumaki's words.

"So…?" Naruko dragged out suddenly, hands clasped behind her back. "I never asked before, but how has your journey been going so far?"

He eyed her, blandly. "I tell you about them in my letters, dobe."

The cerulean blue eyed woman rolled her eyes. "I know that, teme. I just want to tell my in person. You know, there could be some things you wanted to say that you can't express in a letter."

She pursed her lips together in an angry pout. She turned her head way, feeling exasperated at the Uchiha's lack of interest. "This is the first time we get to talk to each other in years, okay?" She shook her head, rapidly, deeply sighing to herself. "Just forget it," she huffed.

"Hey!"

The two shinobi tilted their heads to see Edward calling to them. He, Alphonse, and Winry were all waiting for them by the ticket platform.

"If you two are done, we would like to leave any time now," Ed's voice rang out, the annoyance was not unheard.

"Oh, right. Coming." Naruko wondered for a moment how they managed to get ahead of them. They must've been distracted. That wasn't good. They were now in enemy territory. They had to keep their guard up.

* * *

Edward watched intently as his sister was talking to that Sasuke guy. He couldn't get a good read on Sasuke. The guy was completely silent and rarely responsive during the whole train. How Naruko could so _casually_ strike up a conversation with the guy was an absolute mystery, considering that his words consisted of a few grunts here and there.

Hell, he had to wonder if the guy could even talk. Was he some sort of mute or something? Then remembering that he could, seeing as he spoken a couple of sentences here and there yesterday.

When Ed first meet Sasuke, he wasn't at all what he imagined he would be. He thought he'd be faced with some arrogant asshole with an 'I'm better than you' attitude. He thought… Well, Ed honestly imagined a mini Colonel. The Colonel was a stuck up bastard that was always breathing down his neck.

However, and thank god, Sasuke and the Colonel were nothing alike. Aside from the dark hair and eyes. Sasuke was completely aloof and indifferent to the things around him. It was fucking hard to tell what that guy was thinking. If Ed didn't know any better, it was almost like the guy operated like a machine. Mechanical and unfeeling.

His complete and total silence aggravated Edward. He wasn't used to dealing with taciturn people, okay? Not to mention, it was hard to tell what Sasuke was thinking with that stoic expression of his. He had never meet a guy just so...so...standoffish.

Edward wanted to know what Naruko's relationship with Sasuke is. After all, he's the only one who could tell him and Al what their sister's been up to for the last ten years. Naruko once told them they were once merely just old classmates at school, yet they seemed extremely close to just be _classmates_. He means, the two acted like close, _extraordinary_ close friends. And the fact that Naruko was acutely aware of what Sasuke's grunts fucking mean, how could any understand them, Ed inwardly thought to himself, there was something more to their relationship.

"Ed? Did you hear what I said?"

Edward snapped out of his musings turning his golden gaze at his sister, who was looking at him with curiosity.

"We're going to book a hotel room, and have lunch afterwards," Naruko announced.

* * *

After renting a couple of hotel rooms that Ed paid for, much to his vexation, the group of five were in the hallway discussing room arrangements.

"Sasuke," Naruko pronounced, opening a door to the room and pulling the young man inside. "Let's go inside our room."

It was an innocent statement. They needed somewhere discuss their strategies in private. They couldn't do it in front of Ed, Al, and Winry, after all. They already debated over what Sasuke could and could _not_ do on the train while Edward and Winry were sleeping and Alphonse wasn't paying them any attention. At least, not in the presence of her brothers, her automail engineer childhood friend, their military friends. Factors that include no Sharingan or Rinnegan, meaning trying to keep his left eye hidden as much as possible, and no fire jutsus, only lightning since Naruko already established Sasuke was a lightning alchemist.

However, Edward, Alphonse, and Winry seemed to take Naruko's announcement of her and Sasuke staying in the _same_ room the wrong way. The three young teenagers faces burned, cheeks flushed a deep, crimson red color. It didn't take a genius to know that inappropriate thoughts of a man and a woman sleeping in the room together were fluttering tauntingly in their heads.

They turned their flustered heads towards Sasuke to see that he wasn't fazed by the implication in the least. In fact, he still had that same expression of aloofness as a curt nod was all he offered Naruko, who beamed, brightly. Unbelievable! Doesn't this guy feel anything?! How apathetic could one person be?

"Wait! Hold up!" Edward blurted out, his embarrassment bursting out, stopping his sister and her friend in their tracks. "Why are you guys sharing a room?"

"Yeah," Naruko said, innocently, not seeing the problem at all. "Sasuke needs to study more on alchemy and train...his for the exam next," she finished replying as if it was the most simple and logical answer in the world.

Winry shook her head, sighing, not believing how dense and naive Naruko could be. At least, she knows Naruko attention for sharing a room with Sasuke wasn't... _that_. "Naruko. You and _I_ ," she said, putting emphasizing on the 'I' part, hoping the older blonde would get the subtext. A man and woman shouldn't be sharing a room, after all, unless they are married. "Will be sharing a room."

Naruko pouted, seeming to not accept that. "What about Sasuke?"

"He could room with Ed and Al," the blonde mechanic replied, dismissively.

"But-"

"They could teach him all about alchemy. Ed _is_ a State Alchemist, after all. He could train Sasuke for the exams."

That answer didn't satisfy the blonde Uzumaki in the least. In fact, it made her even more apprehensive. Though, she knew arguing was pointless as she was somewhat forcibly dragged into the room.

"Sasuke! We are going to start preparing for the exams tomorrow at the crack of dawn!" she called out to him as the door slammed shut.

Edward just stared at the shut door, then at Sasuke, frowning. Great. How was he supposed to deal with this apathetic bastard? He turned, unlocking the door to their room, and entering inside. The sound of Alphonse's clanking footsteps could be heard behind him. Although, Sasuke's footsteps were as silent as a stealthy cat. No sound or noise were heard as he walked. Ed had to do a quick double take to make sure he was in the room.

As the door slammed shut, quietly, a moment awkward silence filled the room. Okay… What now? Ed and Al weren't sure of the reason why they came back to Central. They just figured that they were at another dead end for searching on ways to getting their bodies back to normal, so they might as well go back to basics. Maybe stop by the Central Library. The only problem was what to do with Mr. Silent over there.

"I'm going to put my stuff up and take a shower," Edward said, already walking towards his bedroom.

Alphonse could feel a wave of anxiety hit him when he was left alone with Sasuke. He watched, silently, unable to gather the nerve to speak as Sasuke stalked across the bookshelf to grab one of the few books that were perched their, and laid back down on the couch to read it.

Al didn't know how to start talking to the dark haired, young man. He was...intimidating.

* * *

Naruko was busy cooking a late lunch for herself and Winry. She already took a shower beforehand.

Damn, this was already putting a damper on her plans. How were she and Sasuke supposed to discuss strategies now? She was thought about sneaking off late at night, leaving shadow clones. Conversely, Sasuke doesn't even know the shadow clone jutsu, so that plan was a bust.

They could talk about their plans at the library, but they needed Ed's watch to access top secret research material for the time being, and, heaven's _know_ , how possessive her baby brother is over his precious watch. And they couldn't talk with Ed and Al just within hearing distance.

She sighed. She guessed they could discuss battle tactics after Sasuke passes the State Alchemist Exam. They just focus on the exams for now. Oh, and yeah, they should come up with a believable alias for the examinees. If they don't fall for right, well, plan b would be just to put them all under a genjutsu with Sasuke's Sharingan.

Naruko snapped out of her scheming musings when she heard the timer click. She opened the oven to take out the roast pork she made. Now, she just needed to let it cool while she cooked the mash potatoes and macaroni and cheese.

"So, what's the deal with you and Sasuke?"

Naruto tilted her head back towards Winry, who was busy drying her damp hair. She must have just gotten out of the shower. Her cerulean blue eyes blinking in confusion. "Huh?" was all she offered, puzzledly.

Pale blue eyes looked at her older blonde female friend, expectantly, trying to gauge her reaction. "You two seem really close for being just _friends_."

Winry had witnessed how the two interact, and their actions weren't where people call typical between friends. They seemed...how should she put it...intimate with each other for being _just_ friends. Naruko and Sasuke seemed acutely aware of the others' moods without having to exchange words. No one achieves that level of intimacy unless they were lovers who were and are still deeply in love and strongly connected to one another, both romantically and spiritually.

"Sasuke and I… We're just friends," Naruko said, simply, returning back to her cook.

The blonde mechanic scoffed in disbelief. "You guys don't act like how _normal_ friends do. You and Sasuke both behave like…" She paused, taking a moment to ponder her wording. "...Well, you two behave like old lovers who are going through the awkward phase of getting back together."

The female Uzumaki chuckled, humorously at that description. "Is that what it looks like to you? Well, I can't exactly disagree with the fact that our relationship isn't precisely normal through the eyes of commoners. We are just… Me and Sasuke are just...two sides of the same coin, I guess."

Winry arched a puzzled, blonde brow. She wondered what that analogy was supposed to mean?

* * *

"Can you tell us more about our sister?"

Sasuke lowered his book to regard Alphonse with a slight look of confusion.

"Mr. Sasuke," Al spoke once more, feeling a bit anxious. "Could you tell us more about our sister?"

Alphonse did not know why he asked that out of all questions. He and Ed did want ask Sasuke about Naruko eventually. After all, they were both friends, right? He should know a little about their sister. But… That was a question for later. They hardly knew the guy yet. They should helping him train for the upcoming exams, if he's really serious about taking it.

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Sasuke replied back, simply. He wasn't coming off as rude, just merely blunt with his statements.

"She never tells us anything," Ed answered. Edward made his presence known, having overheard the conversations. He was already dried and dressed.

Sasuke gazed at the two brothers, Naruko's younger brothers, silently, the gears in his head turning. That firm statement reminded him so much of how Itachi kept his naive, little brother out of their corrupt family affairs. But it was for his protection.

He stared into their eyes, trying to evaluate their emotions. They held the eyes of desperate children, looking for acknowledgement. They were desperate and hurt. They felt...left out in the dark by their sister's constant withdrawn nature towards them, especially in regards to her past.

The dark haired Uchiha weighed his options. Naruko once stated to him that she would handle their family affairs herself. She just needed time. He scowled a little at that notion. Why did he get the feeling that she was never planning to tell her little brothers? That she was just using that as an excuse to remind herself _not_ to tell them?

He inwardly shook his head. Ah, well, it wasn't any of his busy. He wasn't the type to step into other people's family affairs. He glanced over again at Naruko's little brother, that's still something he needed to to get used to.

Telling them a little wouldn't hurt. Besides, it's not like he's breaking his promise to Naruko to let her handle their family business.

"Your sister," he started to speak, sitting up from the couch, and closing and setting the book down beside him. Edward and Alphonse seemed to instantly perk up when Sasuke started talking about Naruko. Their inquisitive eyes trained on him, all ears, listening attentively. They were quite surprised. They thought he wasn't interested in talking about Naruko.

"Your sister was nothing but a good for nothing loser," Sasuke started. Ed and Al frowned, tilting their heads in confusion. Okay, that wasn't the start they imagined. "All she did was running around, screaming about her dreams at the top of her lungs."

"What dream was that?" Al asked, curiously.

"That's something for her to tell you," the last surviving Uchiha answered, calmly. "Any other questions?"

The gears in Al's head turned until he swiftly thought of a question. "You and sister were rivals, right?"

Sasuke arched a brow in wonderment. "Yeah?"

"Sister told us. What was it like? You know, for you, Mr. Sasuke?"

Dark eyes blinked, for a second not knowing how to respond to that question. "Naruko was an obnoxious, loudmouth tomboy. She was annoying, really annoying. So goddamn annoying. She was like the thorn at my side. But… She's grown on me over the years. She's strong, independent, and stubborn. We do get into competition from time to time, but Naruko is usually the one who initiates it. She was a dobe that didn't understand the meaning of giving up. I don't think giving up is in her vocabulary."

"Then how are you two friends?" Edward questioned. "You two seem to drive each other crazy every chance you meet."

Sasuke could only guessed that Naruko told them a little bit about him. Probably about how much of a teme he is. Ah, he could just hear her words.

A small, fond smile curled up on his lips, which shocked Ed and Al. It was the first time they've seen him _smile_. They didn't know he _could_ smile. However, it quickly disappeared as Sasuke stood up and grabbed the book lying on the couch.

"Your sister is a strong woman. I did find her annoying in the past. Her determination could be aggravating at times when it's directed at you. But, otherwise, it's quite an admirable trait. She isn't the type to go back on her word. That's what I admire most about her." He shoved the book back on the shelf. "She was the person I respected most in the world. At one point, I considered her to be my only friend. Back then, though we didn't want to admit, all we had was each other."

Ed and Al were quite shocked and dumbfounded to see their usual words for staying together thrown back at them.

Sasuke turned around and faced Edward and Alphonse with such fiery determination in his eyes, it made both boys jump back slightly. "As for me, I just want to see the world through Naruko's eyes. And I _will_ protect her and her dreams at all cost."

He frowned a bit, heading towards the bathroom. "Listen, your sister was full of weaknesses and shortcomings, but with her own strength, she managed to rise above them. You don't need to focus on the Naruko you see now, but pay attention to the Naruko that managed to become the woman she is today."

Without that, Sasuke walked inside the bathroom, leaving Ed and Al to ponder his words.

He stared at himself in the mirror, hand clenched at the side, his bitter and regretful past catching up to him.

 _If I could change past, I would without hesitation._

* * *

 _I want to undo the regrets in my life._

* * *

 _So, I wouldn't have hurt Naruko._

* * *

 _So, that I was quick to pick up on Sasuke's pain._

* * *

 _We were just two, broken orphans._

* * *

 **(A/N: That's the end of chapter eleven! Hoped you enjoyed it! Yeah, nothing much. Just a little talk between Sasuke, Edward, and Alphonse and Naruko with Winry. Although, the latter was kind of offscreen.**

 **Based of what little I've seen of Boruto, Sasuke seems like a hands off kind of guy. I mean, he doesn't seem like the type that would pry into others' family matters. He would just say the basic, vague minimum of his opinions, and let people draw their own conclusions from it. Like he said, family affairs should be left to the** _ **family**_ **to deal with.**

 **Though, Sasuke could completely understand Ed's and Al's desperation and pain, being in their shoe once, he could severely understand Naruko's reasoning for not telling them. After all, her secret is much** _ **too**_ **dangerous for prying ears to hear.**

 **Well, not much else. Next chapter would focus on Sasuke preparing for the State Alchemist Exams. The only problem though, is, when it comes time for the actual exams, should I show it or just have it offscreen?**

 **Oh, yeah. I've never got people who say that Sasuke and Roy are alike. Sasuke Uchiha and Roy Mustang are _nothing_ alike. The only thing similar about them are their dark eyes and dark hair.**

 **Leave any thoughts, comments, questions, and suggestions in a review, and thanks for reading!)**


	12. In the Works

**(A/N: Here's chapter twelve! This chapter isn't much since it's just Sasuke studying for the exam. A small break from all the heavy handed stuff. Well, enjoy!**

 **NightmareKnight1: Thanks for reviewing! No, it's not out of character. Do you really think Naruko would still be the same obnoxious brat she was in the past? Yes, I know miss the days when Naruto would loudly scream, rushing at his enemies without a second thought. The obnoxious, childish prankster. But if you have to understand that Naruko's _grown up_. She isn't a kid anymore. There _is_ such a thing as maturity and character development. You just got to let go of the fact that the Naruto you knew is no more. He's all grown up. And did you forget the part where Bradley tried to _kill_ her? And secondly, don't you see the irony in your second claim? If the homunculi won't be fazed by Naruko's 'scare tactic', as you called it, why would they bother with her? Why would they take her seriously?**

 **The Jingo: Thanks for the review! Trust me. I have thought about it because I've seen Sasuke preform the shadow clone jutsu in the glimpses of Boruto I've seen. However, I have gone back and rewatched the Human Bomb filler arc [which is about the time this story takes place], and Sasuke doesn't know how to preform the jutsu yet. He doesn't at all during the Blank Period Arc. So, I'm guessing he learns to use shadow clones between the last arc of Naruto and Boruto.**

 **almp15: Thanks for the review! No. No one is going to show. Probably the only person that** _may_ **show is Sakura. And that's most likely during the Promise Day. For one, because who doesn't want to see the original Team Seven [minus Kakashi] kicking ass? And two, it's good to have a medic-nin during times of war.**

 **Pri-Chan 1410: Thanks for the review! Yeah, that's what makes it so hilarious. I imagined that Ed, Al, and Winry are no different than how most people would react to Sasuke's and Naruko's 'more than friends' relationship. They are kind of the audience surrogate in that situation. And yoai fans shouldn't deny that's how they felt sometimes during the duration of Naruto's and Sasuke's relationship. I felt like that myself sometimes. And what makes it even more hilarious in hindsight is that Ed and Al are looking at their future brother in law, which makes the interactions between Sasuke, Edward, and Alphonse even greater. They are going to have to get used to having an aloof older brother.)**

* * *

In the Works

" _Mom! Mom!" a young Edward happily raced home to his mother to tell her the good news. Ed barged into his home. He eagerly, yet neatly threw his shoes next to the door._

 _He picked up the sound of humming in the kitchen and pots being turned. With a large, joyful grin, he hurriedly followed the sound._

" _Mom!" Ed called to Trisha, who was busy cleaning the pots in the kitchen, softly humming to herself. "Mom!"_

 _Trisha paused in her humming, green eyes glancing down at her eldest son, a bright smile spread across her lips._

 _He happily thrusted a piece of paper in the brown haired woman's face. "I got a perfect score on my test!" he exclaimed, cheerfully and proudly._

" _That's great, Ed! I'm so proud of my smart, little man!" Trisha said, affectionately rubbing Ed's head._

" _Hey!" Alphonse interjected, overhearing the conversation. His little feet tumbled into the kitchen with his big sister close at his heels, her face less than enthusiastic. "I did good on my test, too!" He deflated a bit. "Not as good as brother, but I did really great!" he finished with a pout, ferociously fishing through his backpack. He pulled out his test paper._

 _Trisha observed it, the same cheerfully, proud smile on her face. While Edward had scored a perfect hundred, Alphonse had scored a ninety five. It wasn't perfect, but it was a terrific score, especially for a four year old. "Great job, Al!" She affectionately rubbed the small child's head, making him giggle, happily at being praised at._

 _The brown haired woman green eyes gazed over at her eldest child. "Naruko?"_

 _The little, blonde girl flinched inwardly. She tried ducking her head in as if she was trying to hide herself._

 _The young mother noticed this, but still, the soft smile didn't leave her face. "Naruko?" she urged again, gently, causing timid, cerulean blue eyes to gaze up at her. "You had a test, too, in your class, right?"_

" _Yes, but…" She bit her bottom lip, shamefully, eyes quickly darting at her younger brothers' papers. "I didn't do very good."_

" _May I see?" Trisha asked, quietly._

" _Okay." Naruko carefully dug into her backpack, anxiously. That test today was too hard, too many shapes and letters she couldn't understand. After what felt like hours, but was really only a minute or two, she pulled out her test paper, and showed it to her adopted mother._

 _A big, fat, red inked fifty three could be read at the top right corner of the test._

" _I tried! I really did try, mom!" Naruko hastily explained. "I studied, dattebayo! But I still didn't get it," she deflated. "I don't get science! It's so...confusing! It makes my head hurt, dattebayo! Math, too! I could multiplications and divisions just fine. Even fractions! The small ones, not the big ones."_

 _Seeing the frustrated tears in her daughter's eyes, Trisha graciously scooped up in her arms, pulling her into a gentle hug._

" _It's okay, sweetheart," she said, soothingly, wiping the tears away. "It's okay. You'll just do better next time, okay?"_

 _Naruko nodded her head, silently, letting rest against the brown haired woman's shoulder, allowing the kind mother to tenderly console her._

* * *

Edward woke up to the feeling of someone shaking him.

"Ed! Ed! Brother, wake up!"

Ed lazily sat up, groggily rubbing his eyes, a giant yawn escaping past his lips. Once his blurry vision cleared a bit, he could vividly make out the metal, armored suit of his baby brother.

"What is it, Al?" he asked, tiredly. "I'm sleeping!"

Alphonse chuckled at his older brother's grumpy response. "Well, if you keep sleeping, brother, you're going to miss breakfast."

That seemed to perk the blond alchemist right up as he shot out of his bed like a torpedo, hurriedly racing towards the bathroom to get ready for the day.

* * *

Edward stared at the plate of egg omelette, bacon, and french toast laid out before him in hungry awe. His golden eyes gazed up to see Sasuke putting the last omelette onto his own plate.

"Sasuke, did you make breakfast?" Ed asked, confused.

Onyx eyes pierced at him for second before the lone Uchiha continued his task. "Yeah."

The blond alchemist eyed the empty sleeve of the dark haired man's shirt as he flopped uselessly at his side, showing that he was indeed missing an arm just like Winry predicted. "How could you when you have…?" He trailed off, almost slapping himself for touching on a most likely sensitive topic.

"Hn." Sasuke knew exactly what Edward insinuating, and his dismissive grunt was to show that he didn't care.

Ed scowled. He was really finding Sasuke's uncaring grunts to be extremely annoying. Can't the guy a say a _word_ instead of grunting all the time?

Breakfast was exceedingly quiet and awkward for Alphonse as he silently watched his brother and his sister's friend eat. He wondered why Sasuke wasn't questioning why he won't eat. He obviously noticed that he hasn't taken a bite of _anything_ since they've meet. Most people would question such an odd behavior, but he hasn't said a word about it.

Does he already know that he's just a soul of a young boy bonded to a giant suit of armor? Or did Naruko tell him about his 'condition'?

Al shook his head, negatively. His big sister wouldn't do that. She wouldn't blab about their secret to random people. Although, they are people she trusts, the fact remains that neither he nor his brother knows them.

But this unsettling silence was beginning to unnerve him. "Um, what are you playing to do today?" Alphonse finally asked, hoping to break the tension one way or another. He could do with still nights, having gotten used to being awake while everyone sleeps, but not silent mornings where everyone's awake and bustling with their day.

"Naruko and I are going to prepare for the exams," Sasuke replied, simply, taking a bite out of his toast.

"Brother's a State Alchemist!" Al inputted, proudly, causing Ed to smirk, smugly, his ego boosting. "He's the youngest State Alchemist. He passed the exams when he was twelve!"

Sasuke quickly regarded the armored boy then his single, coal black eye gazed at his older brother. The arrogance radiating of him was flowing off in waves. He wasn't really all that impressed, nor did he care. Most ninja graduate from the Academy at the age of twelve, and practically become child soldiers. Some younger than that, like his brother and former teacher, are called child geniuses. Either this country is just full of weak civilians, or they are just protective of their children and made a rare exception.

"Aa." The dark haired man closed his eye, and went back to eating.

Edward inwardly fumed, his pride deflated just a tad smudge. The guy didn't seem to be either impressed or disgusted by such an achievement. He was just...indifferent! Nonchalantly unimpressed. So phlegmatic!

This was something new that Ed never experienced before, and, quite frankly, he didn't like it. He was so used to hearing people praise his name, worshipping him as the Hero of the People, even though they do initially mistake Al for him. Although, there are some who give him resentful and disdainful glares for being the dog of the military. So rarely is there a person who just didn't...give a shit.

And that's what the blond alchemist's feeling right now. That Sasuke belongs in category three. That he doesn't give one flying fuck. His aloofness is really pissing him off! Look at him! Trying to act all cool. How was his sister friends with this guy?! He annoys him on a different degree than Colonel Bastard.

" _I just want to see the world through her eyes."_

" _I_ will _protect her and her dreams."_

His scowl disappeared into a thoughtful frown. He couldn't stay mad at the guy. After all, he told them more about their sister than Naruko did herself. It was actually kind of...nice. Though he was still curious. What was Naruko's dreams? Why was Sasuke so adamant on protecting her? He never heard those words spoken with such strong emotion unusual for the stoic man, such conviction. Just what was their relationship?

"Sasuke, could you show us your alchemy later?" Alphonse asked, eagerly. There was a excited sparkle in his glowing red eyes, if that was possible.

Sasuke put down his now finished plate. "Sure," he stated. "After your sister takes my to the library. Naruko wants me to start studying right away."

Speaking of Naruko, a loud knock resounded through the door. "Sasuke, get up!" Naruko's loud voice could be heard clear throughout the walls. "Are you done yet? It's time to go, bastard!"

"Still as impatient as ever, usuratonkachi," the last Uchiha replied back. There was a bit of an amusing and playful undertone in his voice. He pushed against his chair, a distant sound of it scraping across the floor could be heard. He walked over and set the dishes in the sink.

"Don't worry, I could wash them," Al proclaimed to him.

Sasuke nodded his head, and headed towards the door, opening the door to be greeted by a frowning Naruko and a nervously smiling Winry.

"Teme! What took you so long, dattebayo?" she demanded, the impatience clear in her voice.

"I was eating," Sasuke said as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

The young, blonde woman shook her head, and waved at her younger brothers. "Good morning, Ed, Al!"

"Morning, sister!" Al chirped.

"Morning," Ed mumbled.

Naruko smiled and was about to walk, but stepped when she seemed to remember something. "Ed, let me borrow your watch."

Edward rose an inquisitive brow. "Why?"

"Because we need to access the research materials in the library. You know they only show those to State Alchemists."

"No."

The eldest Elric pouted. "Why?"

Golden eyes pointedly stared at her. "Because I don't trust you not to lose it."

She scoffed. "Like you lost it during that time in Rush Valley."

The blond alchemist's face turned red with anger and embarrassment. "I didn't loss it!" he fumed. "It was stolen!"

Naruko crossed her arms, looking unimpressed. "If you had taken better care of your things, it wouldn't have gotten stolen."

"That was different!" Ed huffed, seeing as he was getting nowhere. "I'll just come with you guys. Happy?"

Naruko smirked, victoriously. "Yes, dattebayo!"

"I'll stay here with Al," Winry announced.

The blonde woman pumped her fist in the air, enthusiastically. "Let's go, Sasuke, Ed! First, we need study up on all the alchemy, then later you need find someone to spar."

Sasuke was quick to pick up on her hidden message. She can't train with him. She still has a facade to keep up.

Ed seemed to perk up in interest. "You know how to fight, Sasuke?" he inquired, genuinely surprised.

Sasuke resisted the urge to frown. Of course he knows how to fight. What ninja doesn't? It was a split second later that he realized that Naruko's younger brothers know nothing about shinobi.

"I'll spar with you!" Ed announced. He wanted to see how good Sasuke was at martial arts.

Naruko's lips turned upward into a crooked smile. "Okay!" She drawled out, clapping her hands together. "No sparring. Just study. Dattebayo."

She began stalking away before she could hear anyone protest. Sasuke shrugged a bit before following after her, but he didn't miss the disappointed, confused, and dejected look on her younger brother's face.

Ed still a felt a bit, how should he say it, off put at Naruko's swift refusal. "When you're done, Al, meet us at the library," he told his younger brother.

"Alright," Alphonse nodded as he watched his brother leave. He had to wonder how does Sasuke perform his lightning alchemy, and what was his 'goal' that makes him so adamant on taking the exam.

* * *

Naruko was feeling a bit antsy. Things weren't going exactly as planned. The first and only being, she didn't factor Ed in the equation. She had hoped to help Sasuke study, and then to spar with him later in the afternoon just like old times. She's been feeling a little rusty lately.

Unfortunately, she couldn't spar with Sasuke now, not with Edward tagging along. Not only talking about matters...shinobi related was now out of the question. And she wanted to hear if Sasuke made any progress since the last time she's heard from him. About his investigation into Kaguya Otsutsuki and her White Zetsu army.

Naruko was so immersed in her thoughts she didn't realize they were already in front of the Central Library.

"Well, I'm going to go ahead and do some...research," he corrected himself, critically eyeing Sasuke while flashing his watch at the librarian. The immediately understood, and led to the back where only people with state certificate silver pocket watch was able to access.

"Let's go over there, Sasuke," Naruko said, pulling the dark haired Uchiha along. She choose a corner as far away from her brother as possible, so they wouldn't be spied on. Hopefully. With any luck, Edward would too engrossed with his research to be eavesdropping on them. And Sasuke would be able to activate his Sharingan in piece. Even so, they still had to be cautious.

Sasuke didn't waste any time picking out a book. It was labeled 'Alchemy for Beginners'. That's good. Starting off small. It was good to start with the basics before going into the more advanced mechanics of alchemy. He went over and sat down at the nearest, empty table, and began reading and quickly scanning the pages of the book, his Sharingan activated, helping him remember and ingrain every word of the book into his brain with a swift, single glance.

It wasn't long before he was done with that book and pulling out the next one.

Naruko smiled at how diligently Sasuke was working. She then picked up an alchemy book to read for herself. She wasn't an alchemist, and she had some of the basics when she was a little girl, although, she could hardly read or understand any of it and Ed and Al had to give her a layman's explanation.

She needed to look through many books focusing on alchemy, this country's government, and economic as she could. After all, she needed to know what that bastard King Bradley was up to, what he was planning.

Not only that, but the blonde Uzumaki still had other...works that needed to be done. She sighed. Joining Sasuke at the table, she dug into her a backpack, pulling out a small scroll. It was a storage scroll.

She unsealed the scroll, and with a puff of smoke, out popped documents upon documents of paper. She groaned at the sight. Let's just say that Kakashi-sensei likes to keep her informed on the latest uptake. She _is_ supposed to be shadowing him for the most part since she's going to be taken over leadership of the village in the next few years as the Leaf's next Hokage. She had to know everything from the politics to the new curriculum in the Academy for future shinobi to the alliance with the other hidden villages, which had remained peaceful and hoped to remain that way, and everything in between.

She grinned at that thought. It was nice, such a great feeling that, after decades and decades of villages hating and killing each other, they are _finally_ letting go of the past and moving towards peace. The war may have been hellish and brutal, but if there's thing that came out of it, it was the fact that it opened the eyes of _many_ people and showed them that they can work together with outsiders and foreigners, allowing them to see past their hatred and shallow mindset.

"Hey, Sasuke?" Naruko called out to the last Uchiha. Her cerulean blue eyes glanced up from her papers to see, much to her astonishment, that there were two piles of books laid out by his side. He had read that many already?! That have only been here for less than an hour.

"Hmm?"

She was met with the crimson gaze of the Sharingan. Of course! She almost whacked herself on the head for momentarily forgetting about Sasuke's Sharingan.

"During your journey, did you ever discover anything about Kaguya or her White Zetsu army, dattebayo?" she asked, all business like.

Sasuke's back straightened, dark eyebrows furrowed. "I couldn't find her dimension," he said, shortly. "But I did uncover her reasoning for building the White Zetsu."

Naruko nodded. It was such a relief that she could talk about shinobi business and missions with someone who could understand. So was so glad that Kakashi-sensei sent Sasuke, and even happier that he accepted.

"Like what?" she inquired. She wanted to keep this conversation going. For her own piece of mind and the safety of everyone she loves, she wanted to know what Kaguya was up to during her reign of terror, what was she planning.

* * *

"Brother!"

Edward was let out a loud, startled yelp, jumping out of his seat, his heart thumping wildly against his chest. Wide, golden eyes turned upwards to see his younger brother staring down at him. By the shakiness of his shoulders, it looked like he was suppressing the extreme urge not to laugh.

"Glad to see you well, brother," Alphonse giggled.

"Don't sneak up on me, Al!" Ed grumbled, angrily.

"Sorry, brother," Al apologized as he took his seat next to Ed. There was still a bit of a chuckle in his tone before it died down. "So? Did you find our next lead?" he inquired, seriously.

Ed let out a deflated sigh. "No." He closed the book he was reading. "I do have a bad feeling about the military though. We couldn't discuss this in front of Naruko, but why did the Fuhrer kill all those chimeras? Greed was thing, but he could've kept one of them alive for interrogation. Why didn't he? That's been bothering me since we've arrived back in Central."

Al nodded in agreement. "It is strange. Even stranger that the Fuhrer himself would organize an assault team just for a group of human chimeras."

The blond alchemist placed his hands under his chin, his face stern. "I'm still concerned about Dr. Marcoh's note. 'The truth underneath the truth'. Not even teacher what the message meant."

Alphonse nodded his head, solemnly. "While we are on the subject, what do you think of Sasuke, brother?"

A blond brow rose. "What about him?"

The suit of armor fidgeted a little. "I mean, after talking to him last night, what do you think?"

Ed shrugged. "He's okay, I guess. He doesn't talk much, which gets a little annoying at first. But, other than that, the guy hasn't necessarily given me a reason to dislike him."

Al hummed before glancing around. "Hey, where's sister?" he asked, curiously.

Edward snorted. "I don't know," he said, uncaringly. "They went off somewhere after we entered the library."

"I'm going to go look for them," Al announced, walking off.

Ed stared at his younger brother's armored back for a few moments. He stared down at the booking he was reading. Well, it's not like he was finding anything useful, he decided, putting the book away.

He followed the direction Al went, his curiosity peaking at how far Naruko and Sasuke reached in their studies.

"Whoa! You've read that many books already, Mr. Sasuke?!" Alphonse's astonished yell rang, softly across the room.

Edward was actually amazed that spread out all round the table in different large stacks. There must be dozens upon dozens of books. All of this in less than three hours! He guessed that some people are just very fast readers. But he had to wonder, if Sasuke is actually retaining any information by the rate he's going. Al most certainly seemed impressed as he began trying to start up a conversation with the older man.

Ed then eyed his older sister, staring at her, strangely. She sat cross legged on the chair, arms clasped out in front of her. Her posture was straight, neither leaning backwards nor slouching, and her eyes were closed.

He rose a peculiar, blond eyebrow. Was she asleep? He wouldn't put passed her. He remembered when they were little that Naruko always used to fall asleep whilst studying. That's why she never gets good grades on her tests.

Guess some things never change.

Curiously, Ed waved his hand in front of her face, he poked her face, he even shoved her a bit to see if she was definitely asleep.

"Ed, are you done touching me?"

Edward jumped a bit, backing away in shock to see his sister's cerulean blue eyes, playfully smirking at him.

"N-Naruko!" he yelped. "I thought… I thought you were asleep." He shook himself out of his stupor. "What are you doing?"

"Sitting still, dattebayo!" she answered, proudly.

"That's all?" Ed inquired in a skeptical tone, in a voice that clearly said 'really?' or 'are you serious?', making Naruko frown at him.

"Hey! Sitting still is a lot harder than you think, Edward!" Naruko defended. After all, she know how first hand how hard it is _not_ to move a muscle. It was only way for her to gain access to senjutsu.

Ed snorted, not believing her, laughing at the ridiculousness of it. "Sitting still? Anyone can do it."

The older blonde fumed at her brother's cockiness before a small, mischievous smirk spread across her lips. "Oh, really? Then I propose a challenge."

That seemed perk Ed's interest. "What kind of a challenge?"

Naruko uncrossed her legs and stood up from her chair, towering over her stunted growth, baby brother by a few inches. "A bet if you will," she elaborated, dramatically. "It's quite simple really. All you have to do is sit still for five minutes."

The blond alchemist rose a skeptical eyebrow. "Just sit still?" He narrowed his eyes. That seemed way too _easy_ for a bet. There had to be more. "What's the catch?"

The female Uzumaki shook her head. "No catch. Just. Sit. Still," she pronounced, putting emphasis at the challenge.

"For five minutes?"

"Five minutes."

Edward smirked, grinning as if he had already won the lottery. "Okay! And what do I get when I win our little wager?"

"Whatever you want, dattebayo."

He seemed to ponder this for a few seconds. What could he get from his sister? He wasn't sure, but he knew that there's one thing he and Al always wanted. "Fine, if I win, I want you tell me and Al why you left ten years ago," he spoke with all the seriousness and determination.

Naruko paled considerably. Tell them about her past? No! She wasn't ready!

She frowned, seeing the victorious smirk on Ed's face. "Fine," she scowled, solemnly. "But if _I_ win, you are to never ask me questions about my past ever again."

It was Edward's turn to frown. Why was she always like this? Keeping them at a distance? Why the _fuck_ was she so goddamn determined and steadfast at keeping him and Al at arm's length?! It infuriated and frustrated him to no end! He bristled, wanting to yell, scream at her, but kept his voice in check, remembering to keep calm.

Well, that's all going to end. Naruko doesn't need to treat them like little kids that doesn't understand the world around them. Sitting still… This is an easy bet to win.

"Deal?"

"Deal."

Ed was definitely going to win their wager.

* * *

"Ow!" Edward yowled, tenderly rubbing the spot on his left shoulder that Naruko just whacked with spatula she got from her hotel room.

They were currently on the roof of the building. The sun was sitting was over the horizon casting a light orange glow in the sky with a tint of purple. Alphonse, Sasuke, and Winry were all gathered as witnesses to their challenge, although, Winry did question why they were watching Ed unsuccessful trying to sit still as if he were a statue.

"Your shoulders are tensing up, dattebayo. That means the muscle in them are moving. Sit still," Naruko scolded, sternly, poking at the shoulder she just hit.

Ed scowled, angrily at his sister. His body was covered in bruises from her harsh, unforgiving whacks. That have been at this for over an hour.

"Damn! Do you have to hit me so hard, Naruko?" he shouted at her, an angry tick mark appearing on his forehead.

Naruko smiled, evilly. "I'm just taking pleasure at watching you fail at such a _simple_ concept. Besides, aren't you the one who said 'sitting still is easy, anyone can do it'," she finished in mocking tone, mimicking Ed's voice. "Not so easy now, _is it_?"

Ed glared at her, mumbling under his breath before repositioning himself. Why was this so damn hard? It shouldn't be this much of a problem just to stay fucking still! Unless, Naruko is just that damn nitpicky.

The blond alchemist shrieked, painfully as a painful hit knocked him over. He glared, heatedly at his sister.

"No thoughts. Just be still."

Urgh! He was beginning to regret this. It was times like this that made him began to question his life choices.

Sasuke leaned in the corner of the railing, silently watching as Naruko scolded her naive, baby brother. He wondered why she was teaching him Sage Mode? Or was she just trolling his little brother to make point? The way she was gloating and teasing him about it, it was definitely the latter.

He had speculate for quite some time that Edward nor Alphonse could utilize chakra. After all, this was a country without shinobi. A country so isolated from the ninja world that they don't even realize that they have chakra inside them, however, faint it may be. And by now, it was probably too late for the boys to start developing their usage of chakra.

He spent a good few hours gathering all the knowledge on alchemy he could, and, to suffice to say, it was less impressive than he thought. All alchemy seemed to be nothing more than a weaker version of ninjutsu. There was nothing remarkable about it. And it came with a lot of drawbacks.

For one, it focuses on being overspecialized in a particular field. With all the science, aptitude, and theory put into it, it would probably take a person years to master just that simple field of alchemy. It doesn't tell them how to cover up for any weaknesses. Not to mention, drawing a circle...just to use their abilities...it was a hindrance. No enemy would wait for their opponent to draw an abstract picture on the ground. That's just asking to be killed.

Alchemy was just not worth it. He thought it was something to report back to Kakashi, something that would benefit the village, but it had a _lot_ disadvantages and almost _nothing_ to benefit from it, absolutely no advantages. Nothing to write home about.

Sasuke gazed over to the horizon. The sun had finally set, causing the world to be plunge in a shadowy glow, the street lights turning on to enable pedestrians to navigate through the darkness.

"Dobe," he called out to Naruko. Shouldn't she be getting ready to leave?

Naruko tilted her head to regard him, arching a curious brow, having given her foolish, younger brother a good smack on his twitching leg. Oh! How good it was to teach him a lesson on not to be so arrogant.

"What is it, Sasuke?"

He pointed a gaze over to the sky.

Her blonde brows scrunched downward in puzzlement. It took a few moments to decipher what he was saying before a loud shriek escaped her, causing Edward and Winry to cover their ears by the sheer volume of her scream.

"Wh-what is it, sister?" Alphonse asked, worriedly.

Naruko ignored his question, her expression became extremely frantic and panicky. "Shit! How could I forget?" She immediately raced through the door, leading off the roof as if her life depended on it. "Sorry, Ed! Let's just call the bet off!"

She ran out the door before she could hear any objections, leaving her brothers and childhood friend in a state of bewilderment.

* * *

Edward, Alphonse, and Winry watched on in hopeless confusion as Naruko scurried around her room, packing things in her bag, angrily mumble incoherently to herself and letting out breaths of curses.

Sasuke was off to the side, helping her pack.

Naruko felt so stupid! She had a meeting with the Fire Daimyo's son next week. She already knew the true purpose of the meeting though. The Daimyo's son has probably taken interest in proclaiming her to be his wife. Using this meeting as a chance to woo her.

And she already knew her answer to his proposal. However, she had to play it safe, let him down gently. Otherwise, it could affect the Hidden Leaf Village. She didn't want the prince to take out his anger and rage at Konoha, and cripple them financially.

She sighed in frustration. This why she _loathes_ politics. Too much of a headache. But it came with the job description of being Hokage.

"Uh, sister? Where are you going?"

Naruko instantly froze at Alphonse's innocent question. Her face paled, tremendously.

Double shit!

She was so focused on leaving, she forgot to break the news to them. No, the only reason she forget was because she failed to recall her audience with the prince until Sasuke reminded her just moments ago.

Now, that realized the depth of what leaving entails, she felt horrible, almost cruel even. A meeting with the prince isn't the only thing on her list. She still had to check out the orphanage and the new hospitals. She doesn't know how long she would be gone.

And the fact is, the only reason she's even coming back at all, is because her mission...to eradicate all the homunculi...still isn't completed.

The very thought of it left an unpleasant lump in her throat as beads of anxiety rolled down her forehead.

She flashbacked to reunion with Ed and Al. Ed's icy bitterness and Al's unrelenting sadness. She hurt them. She knew she hurt them a lot. And she's about to hurt them the same way again.

Damnit! She fisted her hand at the side. And just when they were starting to rekindle their sibling relationship.

Well, the blonde Uzumaki couldn't put off telling them. It was literally now or never.

"Sasuke, Winry," Naruko spoke, her voice barely a whisper. "Could you give me a moment with my brothers?"

"Wha-?" Winry's confused cries were cut off by Sasuke dutifully dragging her out the door, closing it behind him.

Both Ed and Al stared at their sister in worry, fear gripping at their hearts.

Naruko fidgeted a bit, shifting uncomfortable on her feet. "Ed. Al. I don't know how to tell you this…," she started, nervously.

Dread immediately gripped at Edward's heart strings. That nervous posture, the guilty look in her cerulean blue eyes… No way…! She wasn't planning on…!

His mind flashback to the day she announced she was leaving. The confusion, hurt, anger, sadness, and betrayal he felt that dreadful day forever sketched inside his soul.

" _I'm leaving."_

No! He angrily clenched his fists at his sides. Naruko wouldn't do something so despicably hurtful again. She ripped their entire family apart last time.

"I'm leaving."

* * *

 **(A/N: That's the end of chapter twelve! Did you enjoy it? Honestly, there's nothing much to say. I've always planned to have Naruko leave for a while. And don't worry, she'll come back. When? Well, that would be spoiler, wouldn't it? The only thing I would say is that she won't be gone for long. But I could already tell the beginning of the next chapter would** _ **not**_ **be a pleasant. After all, how would Ed and Al take the awful news of their older sister leaving? Again? And after all the family bonding they went through after finally being reunited during their ten years of estrangement. Poor, poor Ed. Poor, poor Al.**

 **Leave any thoughts, comments, questions, and suggestions in a review, and thanks for reading!)**


	13. Departure of Lost Grievances

**(A/N: Here's chapter thirteen! Uh, I don't know what to say. This is not a pleasant chapter. At least, the beginning isn't. Enjoy?**

 **itachisdbzgurl: Thanks for the review! Honestly, your idea was really good. So good in fact that actually contemplated doing that. But I found several flaws. There is no way she could keep the _entire_ Leaf Village from not showing off their ninja skills unless she puts a massive genjutsu on the town, so Ed and Al would just think it's an ordinary town, but we all know she can't do that. And two, who's to say that Ed and Al won't run off back to Amestris, and blurt out everything they saw to their fellow military men? I mean, it's not like anyone told them not to. I could ramble on more, but I hope you get my point.**

 **Drake G. Reaper: Thanks for reviewing! Honestly, there is no reason for Sasuke to propose to Naruko. At least, not yet. It's not like they are staying in Amestris. Once their mission is done, they are heading right back to Konoha. And Ed can't learn Sage Mode. I think some people forget how _extremely_ difficult it is to learn Sage Mode. If it was really easy, then quite a bit of people would be using it, not a _very_ select few. Mostly notably, only Naruto, Minato, Jiariya, and Kobato could use Sage Mode. Out of the entire universe of Naruto and every character, only those four could perform Sage Mode. Not counting Hagoromo [for obvious reasons] and Madara [because he's just a fucking, ridiculously overpowered, haxed villain] Honestly, any OC I see instantly learning Sage Mode, not only that and become a perfect sage, I'm skeptical enough to cautiously label them as a mary-sue. Naruko was simply teaching her arrogant, younger brother a lesson.**

 **The Jingo: Thanks for reviewing! Hmm, I thought it was stated in a light novel version? I'm just going with my gut because if Sasuke really could use shadow clones earlier, why didn't he? There were plenty of opportunity for him to do so. I mean, his chakra isn't as massive as Naruto's, but certainly isn't low like Kakashi's. That's just me. That's why I think he doesn't learn shadow clones until later. After the Blank Period arc, but before the start of Boruto.**

 **I know this is late, but Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!)**

* * *

Departure of Lost Grievances

"I'm leaving."

Naruko suddenly announced after much hesitation. Her heart was thumping wildly against her chest as she waited anxiously for the ensuing yelling to come.

She forbearingly awaited in anticipation, watching her brothers' reactions with saddened eyes, carefully observing every expression and body language they made.

Predictably, Edward went through a series of emotion. First confusion, wondering if he heard her right, then his golden eyes widened with shocked revelation as if he can't believe this was happening _again_ , and finally they narrowed with burning rage and fury, his bangs shadowing his eyes.

"Y-you're leaving?" Alphonse croaked. Hearing the disbelief and sorrow in his voice made the blonde woman's heart hammer with guilt.

"Yeah," Naruko replied, regretfully. "I-I have to go back to work," she quickly said, making up a believable story that isn't exactly the entire truth.

"You're going back to work?" Al questioned, confused. "I didn't know you had a job, sister."

"Yeah," she smiled, cheekily, sheepishly scratching the back her head. "They just messaged me, telling me to come back. Don't worry, I'll come back soon," she quickly reassured her disheartened youngest brother.

Al seemed to perk up, feeling hopeful. "Really? How soon?"

The blonde kunoichi swallowed a thick lump in her throat. Making out the faithful optimism in Al's hollowed tone, caused her to become even more disconsolate at the fact that she'd be crushing his hopes in seconds.

"...Well, Al… It'll be soon," she answered, hesitantly, not knowing how else to respond.

"Oh." The giant suit of armor let out a deflated breath of disappointment, sadness engulfing his entire being.

"Don't be sad, Al!" Naruko swiftly remarked. "I'll be back as soon as I can! I promise!"

"You promise?"

Naruko's saddened eyes shifted towards Edward, getting ready to hear his belated angry response to her sudden departure.

Finally, Ed lifted his head, glaring at his older sister with such intense, rage filled, hateful eyes it made the uncomfortable and agonizing knot in her stomach twist.

"You promise?! That's always the same bullshit you give us every. Damn. Time!" Edward screech. He wasn't just angry. He was absolutely livid. Wrathfully incensed. "So what?! We wait another fucking ten years for you to come back?!"

"Ed, that's not-"

"You didn't even come to mom's funeral! Was it because of _your_ job that you didn't come?" he accused with much detest in his voice.

Naruko remained uncharacteristically silent. Ed's angry resentment and bitter and intense accusation hitting her like a sharpened knife to the heart.

"You don't care about us! You don't give a damn!" he screamed out. After he was indignant ranting, he panted, heavily, completely breathless from all the yelling. His voice was probably heard throughout the hall despite the door being closed.

A sudden awkward and tense silence ensued.

Alphonse glanced between his pissed off brother and strangely quiet sister, fretfully, extremely agitated and worried that this physical. He was stuck in the middle, wondering who to side with if it came to that.

At last, Naruko opened her mouth, but her words were anything but reassuring. "Ed, I know it's hard for you not to have your older sister around...during times of...hardships. But I do care about you and Al!" she declared, wholeheartedly. "You boys are the most important people in the world to me! It's just… Please understand that my work is very...difficult," she explained, trying to find the correct word to describe her life as a shinobi without giving away any information at all. "I truly, _sincerely_ do wish we could spend more time together, but with the distance between my work and...here, it's just...nearly impossible at times. But I really do try to visit when I can! And I have other people who need me! I can't just abandon them!"

Edward snorted, not seeming convinced. Naruko pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a headache coming on. She knew Ed's hostility and icy resentment was her fault. For keeping the truth from them. And she feared that Ed would never forgive her now, even she did come back weeks or months later.

The blonde woman laid out her options, which wasn't much. The back of her neck dripped with anticipation. Should she really tell the truth? Would they even believe? Time to find out by ripping the bandaid off.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm her nervous, her palms were oozing with sweat, making them clammy. "Fine. I'll tell you the truth."

Edward and Alphonse perked up tremendously at this, both looking at their older sister, expectantly, waiting with much trepidation to _finally_ hear the truth from her, the reason she's been gone so long.

Naruko opened her eyes, her cerulean blue orbs slightly stunning them a bit by the seriousness and weariness as if she was tired from a long fought battle. "I…" She paused, eyeing her brothers, wary of their response and almost anticipating it when she blurts out the next five words out her mouth that would sound insane in any sane person's ears. "I have defeated a god," she proclaimed, truthfully, not even a hint of exasperation in her voice.

She waited, silently, letting her younger brothers sink her words like water flushing down a drain. She was calm and composed, her frantic rapid heartbeats toning down to a soft and quiet pulse. The female kunoichi deliberately picked out the one truth from her tale that would sound the most absurd out of all them, trying to gauge how they would react to such a farfetched sounding story.

There it is! That painful expression of disbelief and doubtful disappointment was all she needed.

She let out a wide smile. She finally found her answer! At long last, this was it! For the first time in a while, she felt like she was finally free, like a weight was lifted off her shoulders. She was a bird gracefully soaring through the sky.

She shouldn't tell them the truth, after all. All the constant agonizing she spent years fruitlessly debated over had decisively been answered! Was it wrong of her to full so ecstatic about it? To not be wallowing in misery at being looked at as if she was a delusional psycho?

Naruko pulled both her brothers into a tender hug. "Thank you," she whispered, softly. She could feel their bodies stiffen in plain confusion. She felt Al throw a hesitant arm around her while Ed just stood there, unsure how to feel.

She quietly pulled away. With one last, fleeting smile, she turned and opened the door, letting them back inside.

"I know it's late, but what do you guys want for dinner?"

* * *

The next early morning, Naruko left without even a word of goodbye. Sasuke was the only one who saw her off.

"Make sure to pass your State Alchemist exam, Sasuke! It should be no problem!" Naruko told him, confidently, fist pumped.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, smirking, playfully, letting out a 'hn'.

She nodded her head, accepting his response. "Oh, and make sure to take care of my little brothers."

That statement made him frown. He overheard the entire conversation last night. How could he not with all the yelling and screaming. And he knew that Naruko was hurting by the end of it. It was painfully obvious. Her heart was bleeding.

"You made the right choice," Sasuke said, tightly jaw clenched, hands fisted.

"Huh?" Naruko blinked in confusion.

"Not telling them."

Before she could ask to elaborate, the train was already moving, and then she was gone.

The dark haired Uchiha was an incredibly foul mood. Just seeing Naruko's puzzled, distraught, lonely, and heartbroken expression was enough to make him go into a frenzy. After finding out she had adopted younger brothers, he had always wondered why Naruko always looked so lonely, despite having a living, non blood related family. And now, he got his answers last night. A family that doesn't even _try_ to understand is no different than having no family at all. And he guessed discovering she was Kurama's jinchuuriki made Naruko feel even more alone and isolated.

He had swore to himself that he would do whatever it is in his power to make her happy. After all the misery and torment the lone Uchiha caused the extremely forgiving Uzumaki, happiness was the absolute one thing she deserved.

Killing the pint sized bastard was out of the question. And Sasuke seriously did contemplate killing Edward last night, or, at least, leaving him broken and mangled, unable to move his body for months. But he knew he couldn't do that, it would just make Naruko sadder.

He complains about _his_ suffering?! Whatever problems him and his brother have would go away someday, it would eventually turn into nothing more than an awful dream. But his sister's problems would _never_ go away!

The little brat acts all arrogant and self righteous, behaving like he's the one with all the problems. He didn't even try… No, he was blatantly unwilling to understand his sister's pain. And Naruko knew this. She knew he wouldn't. She knew he would be offensively unreasonable.

In fact, she gave him a trial run last night, to put her expectations to the test, and Ed ultimately failed miserably.

If Ed's goal in his complaints was to prove that was selfishly right about Naruko keeping her family in the dark. Then, good job. He succeeded.

Naruko's never going to tell him now!

Sasuke breathed out a frustrated sigh. He really didn't want to see the stupid brat right now. He'd watch over him from a distance, but that's only because Naruko asked him to.

He would gladly just spend his days training alone in preparations for the State Alchemist Exam.

* * *

Naruko absolutely dreaded the upcoming meeting. However, she knew that it was something she couldn't just ignore. Not unless, she wanted Konoha to be affected, negatively.

She promised when she returns back to Amestris, and hopefully, yet tragically for the final time, she would try harder to earn her brothers' forgiveness. Or, at the very least, destroy all the homunculi, so they could live a safe, happy, normal life. Maybe she should bring some souvenirs on the way back.

She just hoped she could get through this headache of a 'meeting', and return as quickly as possible. She didn't feel at ease knowing that her younger brothers were in potential danger while she was away.

* * *

Alphonse watched with anxious concern as Edward angrily paced around the living room, a prominent scowl on his face as he made himself, which included a simple plate of bacon and eggs.

"I'm sure sister would be back, brother. She came back last time just like she promised," Al uttered, trying fruitlessly to lift his brother's foul mood. However, it only caused Ed to furiously slam the fridge so hard after retrieving a glass of juice that it shook a bit.

Al just sighed, dejectedly. It was best not to speak about Naruko while he was this absurdly pissed off. Best to let him cool off a bit. He had to wonder where did Sasuke run off to? He hasn't seen him all morning, he just hoped the guy was okay.

* * *

It's been about a whole week since Naruko left, and Sasuke was finally getting ready for his exam. He silently made his away through the halls of the military, ignoring the whispers he was receiving from officers as he held up a paper detailing the information about the exam and what room the first one would be in. He paid no to their ignorant and needlessly incessant and pitiful whispers and comments about him trying to join the military at a 'ridiculously' young age, just barely being an adult.

"Are you one of the new candidates here to take the State Alchemist Exam?"

Sasuke tilted his head to be greeted with a dark haired man in his mid to late twenties with a blonde haired woman with her hair clipped back and approximately about the same age, standing dutifully behind him.

The raven haired Uchiha took a moment to regard the man's question before simply nodded his head.

This caused to the military man to smirk in amusement. "Not much of a talker, are we?"

Sasuke simply stared at the man, blankly. He was in no mood for jokes.

Learning that the younger man was in no mood for small talks, the dark haired man embarrassingly coughed into his hand. "I'm Colonel Roy Mustang," he introduced himself in a serious and authoritative tone. He pointed a thumb at the woman behind him. "And this is First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye."

"Sasuke Uchiha," the young man tactfully and shortly uttered out his own name in compensation of the man, now identified as Roy Mustang, giving off his own name.

Mustang just stared at Sasuke, wondering what was going on behind the younger man's head. His silence was a bit unnerving. It was as if he was looking at his very soul, studying him like an interesting tool. "Right." He awkwardly scratch the back of his head. "Well, anyway, to cut to the chase, if you do end passing the exams, you would be put under my jurisdiction, Sasuke, meaning you would become one of my subordinates. The Fuhrer had told me that himself."

" _Of course he did,"_ Sasuke thought, ruefully. He met the so called leader of Amestris just the other day. And, let's just say, how underwhelming it was to easily manipulate the man with a basic Sharingan genjutsu. Sticking as close to Naruko's brothers as possible was the plan, seeing as they are the heart of this whole conspiracy. They are 'sacrifices' as Sasuke remembered Naruko viciously telling him the homunculi describing her darling, little brothers as such.

"I just want to say, good luck on the exams, and I look forward to serving you." He saluted the aloof man, which Sasuke promptly saluted back before being on his way.

Once Sasuke was out of earshot, Mustang lifted his gaze towards Hawkeye. "Lieutenant, what do you think of that man?"

"Well, he is certainly quiet and reserved," Hawkeye answered, observantly.

The dark haired man put his thumb to his lips, contemplate expression on his face. "And that's what worries me. Types like that are really hard to discern."

* * *

Sasuke had just completed the fairly easily written test the other day, thanks to his Sharingan, helping memorize every topic on Alchemy he could his hands on in the library.

Now, here he was at his second test, which consisted of...sitting in a chair? He had heard that this was supposed to be the interview part of the test. But he already knew the true purpose of this test. To see if he was mentally stable, wanting to know and be assured that he wouldn't turn rogue and betray the Amestrian military at the drop of a hat, which he would eventually because all this was just part of the plan to get closer to the homunculi. However, they don't need to know that. They would just get in the way.

Although, just in case, his eyes bled crimson red upon activating his Sharingan. There were a few gasps of horror and surprise before the examiners fell victim to his genjutsu, their eyes turning ghostly paler than usual, almost blank.

"Why do you want to join the military?" one of the examiners asked, blankly.

Sasuke's was set in a grim line, his face devoid of any emotion as his Sharingan coldly stared into their genjutsu induced eyes. The only emotion produced by him was the fierce determination behind his red eye.

"To protect someone dear to me, no matter what the cost."

* * *

 **(A/N: That's the end of chapter thirteen! Hoped you enjoyed it! Yes, I know that this chapter is short. I mean, short in comparison in the last two or three ones. But that's only because I deliberately decided to make it shorter, so that it won't take away from the grim and sad atmosphere this chapter was supposed to be because if I made it longer, it would have returned back to its somewhat engaging, comforting and friendly, family bonding tone. I just want to let the grim and sadness settle in before returning to that next chapter. I didn't want to shift the mood so suddenly and only in a single chapter.**

 **And also, this was to show readers that Naruko simply telling her brothers the truth is not as easy as they make it sound. Like did you guys ever stop to really think about the consequences? Haven't you heard the saying that 'some truths are just never meant to be told'? I mean, look back at all the anime you have watched, and the count the number of times a character has gone insane after learning the truth.**

 **But that's beside the point. Regarding the second of half of Naruto, do you really believe that Ed and Al would believe her if she told them? Honestly, tell me, do believe a hardcore scientist like Edward Elric who only believes in 'cold hard facts' would believe that his sister fought against a mythical, godlike beast and then an actual fucking god if she just** _ **simply**_ **told them? No, he wouldn't! Maybe Al would give her the benefit of the doubt, but not Ed. At least,** _ **I**_ **don't think he would. At best he would just call her delusional, and become even angrier at her for making up a 'ludicrous' story instead of telling him the 'truth', which, tragically and ironically enough, that** _ **is**_ **the 'truth'. Hell, Ed had hard time believing his father when Hoheimhan flat out and finally told him 'look, Ed, I'm a living Philosopher Stone', and if it wasn't for the circumstances, Ed would have never believed him, would never accept such an outrageous claim from a** _ **first hand**_ **witness to the tragedy of Xing all because it isn't writing in the books, so there is no evidence.**

 **Yes, I know, Naruko could just simply show Ed and Al some of her jutsus, but that would just basically just putting her out in the open and revealing all her tricks to the enemy. Don't forget that Wrath and Pride are lurking about, probably watching their every move. And there isn't exactly an isolated place in Central where she could freely show off her ninjutsu. Besides, Naruko is blatantly aware of how the human psyche works. How human fear things they can't comprehend. What would you think would happen if she suddenly pulled off tricks that can't be scientifically explained by Alchemy? I tell you one thing...fear. And when people come to develop a paralyzing terror for something, they often attempt to destroy it out of fear that if they don't, they would be destroyed. Many of you shouldn't deny that this is common fact in human history, no matter in the real world or fiction. It's just a known fact that humans are self preserving and self serving creatures.**

 **I hope that this doesn't sound like I'm angrily lashing out [honestly, even I got angry at Ed for yelling at Naruko], but try to make this as realistic as possible based on the characters personalities. Not just doing things because it would sound cool or awesome. And it would be the 'easy' way out. In a situation like that, there is no 'easy' way out. _Everything_ has a consequence. ****Naruko would be putting her brothers in needless danger if she did tell them, danger that they can't protect themselves from. She knows that Ed and Al could easily be used as hostages against her, if an enemy ever found out about her relationship towards them. Naruko isn't dumb nor is she careless. Not only that, but look at Naruto. After twelve years, Naruto hasn't even once told his son about his childhood. Sasuke has a decent excuse because he wasn't in the village for over a decade, but what excuse does Naruto have?**

 **And the whole Sasuke getting angry at Edward, that would just him venting his rage because he selfishly and intentionally hurt Naruko. In the same, less insane, way he snaps at anyone badmouthing Itachi. I figured it would show more of his protective side in regards to Naruko, but don't worry, he isn't mad anymore. That's good news for Ed. Because if it wasn't the fact that he was Naruko's brother, he would have been on Sasuke's hit list. Or, 'the guy I would despise forever and hoped to never see again' list. But Sasuke already learned that he would have to deal with Ed's childish bouts of anger. To Sasuke, Edward is nothing more than a child, who** _ **thinks**_ **he's an adult and selfishly thinks he has the whole world weighing on his shoulders. As stated in his monologue, Ed's and Al's suffering isn't eternal, not like Naruko's. Once they get their bodies back, they could just look back at all that has happened as if it was just a bad dream. Naruko, on the other hand, doesn't have the luxury of doing that. Her life was a complete hell because she was a jinchuriki, and that's something she could** _ **never**_ **get rid of, unless she wants to die. Yes, she could just move past the pain, but that won't stop enemies after enemies from coming after because of the power of Kurama residing inside her. And because of this, Sasuke quickly notes how lonely and isolated Naruko must feel, even if she does have a family who cares for her. Having someone who cares is different than having someone who** _ **understands**_ **.**

 **On a shorter and last note, I was honestly thinking about just skipping the first two exams and just showing the final one. The part where Alchemists show of their Alchemy, but the reason why I didn't was very simple. One, I wanted to have that badass ending line. And two, I wanted to time to flesh out the last exam and make it dramatically entertaining as possible without ruining, like I said, the atmosphere of this chapter.**

 **Well, enough of my rambling… Leave any thoughts, comments, questions, and suggestions in a review, and thanks for reading!)**


	14. Sibling Separation

**(A/N: Phew! Finally! I know you guys been waiting a long time, so here's chapter of 'Bonds Are Stronger Than Gold'! Sorry, it's been such a long time. I just needed time to figure out what to do next now that Naruko is planning to go back to the Elemental Nations. I have some vague ideas. Well, enjoy!**

 **Random Guy: Thanks for the review! You make some excellent points.**

 **silverhawk88: Thanks for reviewing! Yeah, I figured since Amestrian is more or less Europe in general, Xing is China, and Drachma is Russia, the Elemental Nations can kind of, sort of fit in as a fantasy counterpart to Japan.**

 **itachisdbzgurl: Thanks for the review! These next few chapters are dedicated to you. Thanks for your brilliantly awesome ideas!** **)**

* * *

Sibling Separation

The room was tense. Silence.

"What do you mean she left?!" Winry shouted, appalled.

The air was thick with dread and unease. An aura of sorrowful depression exuded from Alphonse. Edward, on the other hand, was scowling, deeply with barely controlled cold fury and fierce rage.

"Tch," Ed grumbled. "It's as we explained it. _She left_. _Again_ ," he growled out in emphasizing, showcasing resentment and bitterness he was feeling inside by his older sister's departure.

"Well, why didn't you guys try to stop her?" she asked, curiously, a hint of sadness in her tone.

"Why should we?" the blond alchemist shouted, harshly, throwing his legs off the couch. "She left! Just like she did ten years ago!" He scoffed, spitefully. "Guess, _her job_ is more important than us."

"Brother…!" Al sighed, but there was no bite to his voice, just dejection.

Taking in a frustrated breath, Ed let out an aggravated sigh. "You know, Al, I was really beginning to think that maybe Naruko wasn't at all that bad. It felt...refreshing having our broken family amended. But now…," he growled. "But now… Just… I don't know. On one hand, I hate her. I hate her so much for abandoning us." His lips curved into a contemplative, bittersweet, thin line. "However, these past few weeks with Naruko...were nice. They reminded me of the kind and caring big sister she always used to be when we were kids. Isn't that dumb? I want to hate her. I still do. Though, truthfully, I just… I just can't."

He gripped his hair in frustration. "Although, if there's one thing I find so utterly annoying, is that she still treats us as little kids!" He shot a look towards his younger brother. "C'mon, Al! You can't tell me you aren't a little mad at Naruko for treating us like naive, little boys who doesn't understand the world around them?"

Alphonse breathed out his own saddened hum. "Well, brother… Honestly, I don't disagree with you. I just wish...we knew...where sister was," he said, dejectedly.

There was a whisper of reserved silence that formed between them.

"If that's how you guys feel, then why don't you ask Sasuke where your sister went?" Winry suggested. "I'm sure he knows."

Both Ed and Al shot each other a look of determination and understanding. Winry was right. They should ask Sasuke where Naruko is, and chase her down instead of wallowing in self .

It's about she told them what the hell is going on.

* * *

Sasuke was busy practicing his shuriken jutsu, remembering Naruko given him strict instructions to keep his talents and abilities hidden. It was a good idea to practice his lightning jutsu though, to figure out a way to impress the judges. From what he recalled from the record books, only one or two people pass the exams each year, and he couldn't afford to fail. It's not that he wasn't confident in his abilities, far from it. He could only hope that no one else knew lightning alchemy. Or else he would have to come up with a flashy technique. He only a few hours before his third and final exam.

Sasuke was in the air after a graceful leap, sporting several kunai in hand. With a flick of the wrist, the kunais shot towards their target with deadly accuracy, bouncing of each other with uncanny precision.

A chidori formed in his hand, and he used his chakra to turn it into a blade, zipping it through the wooden pole he was using as target practice and splitting it in half.

"Mr. Sasuke!"

The raven haired man casually tilted his head to the source of the person who called his name.

Ed and Al finally found Sasuke at one of the courtyards that alchemist were allowed to use to train their alchemy for the upcoming exam. They spent hours searching for him everywhere they could think of. Although, he was nowhere to be seen until they finally got a tip from one of the military officers that Sasuke was in one of the training courtyards.

They spotted the raven, calling out her name and came rushing in his direction with one goal in mind. To find Naruko.

Well, that was the plan. Until they witnessed Sasuke produce some sort of beam or blade of lightning in his hand. They couldn't help but to stare in absolute awe. So…? This was Sasuke's lightning alchemy? They have never seen lightning alchemy, and that were completely enthralled.

They were even more amazed when Sasuke twisted his wrist and the lightning produced several spears that pierced through the other practiced dummies. Okay. It was official. Ed and Al mesmerized and awestruck by the display of power and control.

Lightning alchemy was such a rare ability. As it should be. Not only was it highly difficult and required extensive knowledge, it was also lethally dangerous. One fatal mistake and the alchemist could end up killing themselves or the people around them. To see Sasuke using it, and with such skill and grace, it was truly stunning.

"What is it?" Sasuke's voice snapped the Elric brothers' from their dazed fascination. His chidori disintegrated. He guarded both of them with a cool gaze. "There must have some reason you came looking for me. So, what do you want?"

"Uh…?" Edward shook his head, composing himself. A fierce, determined gleam shone in his golden orbs. "Sasuke? You know where Naruko is, right? Tell us! Where is she?" he demanded.

Sasuke merely shot Naruko's younger brother a look of indifference. "Why do you need to know?" was the Uchiha's cool reply.

"So, I can punch her face in when I find her!" Ed declared, hotly.

The raven haired man raised an amused eyebrow. Even though they weren't exactly blood related siblings, Edward was shared similar traits with Naruko. He was hotheaded and brash just like her. And almost just as stubborn.

"Brother!" Alphonsed chastised his older brother. He gave Sasuke an apologetic bow. "Mr. Sasuke, forgive my brother for his rudeness. But if you know where are sister is, could you please tell us?" he asked in a firm and resolute tone.

Sasuke carefully regarded the determined look and slightly dejected aura coming from the brothers. "Why?" he questioned, simply. "Why do you want to know?"

"Because we are tired of her leaving us in the dark!" Ed growled, angrily, clenching his fist into a tight ball. "She never tells us anything!" Sasuke could feel the anger and frustration radiating off him in waves.

Sasuke knew where the two boys were coming from. The desperate need to be acknowledged by their older sister was all but there, despite them not saying anything. It's reflected deeply in their emotions and expressions.

However, he also understood Naruko's side. Naruko was a world famous kunoichi. The Heroine of the Fourth Great Ninja War. Just because the war was over, doesn't mean there aren't enemies still lurking in the shadows. Enemies ready to take her on just to prove they could beat the great hero that saved the ninja world. And if they found out she has brothers, they would most definitely use them as hostages against her. The Akatsuki absolutely would have, and they would mercilessly kill Ed and Al once their purpose was done. As much as they loathed being left in the dark, it was for their own protection.

Although, this wasn't his affair to deal with. The three blond siblings needed to sort out their own problems themselves. The only thing the raven could offer was some frank and wise advice.

"Have you ever thought about why your sister keeps you in the dark?" he asked, rhetorically.

"I don't care!" Ed yelled. "That's not for her to decide. We aren't children!"

Al placed a placating hand on his brother's shoulder to keep him from getting too riled up. He gazed up at the Uchiha with pleading, glowing, red eyes. "Please, Mr. Sasuke. We just want to be with our sister. I know understand what you are saying. But my brother and I don't want to be left in the dark anymore!" he declared with just as much passion and determination as Ed. His metal fist shook at his side as Sasuke was giving him an unreadable expression. "We aren't babies! We can take care of ourselves! What's so important that she can't tell us? Doesn't she know how lonely we get without her? Doesn't she…? Doesn't sister trust us?"

Edward stared at his baby brother in surprise. He didn't know Al had this much frustration boiled up inside him. This was the first time Al had expressed such displeasure, such indignation, such pain and anguish over Naruko's absence. Ed never knew his brother had this much vexation and sorrow bottled up inside.

Eventually, he smirked, proudly before piercing the dark haired man with a hard glare. He was _not_ backing down from.

Sasuke, however, was watching both boys with a guarded expression. They weren't backing away from this decision, were they? He could see their determination and resolve emitting from them similarly to the force of a firecracker.

"If I told you, are you sure you won't regret it?" he asked them, coolly. He had to know. He had to test them one more time. He had absolutely sure they were prepared for even the consequences. That they weren't simply requesting Naruko's whereabouts out of a mere whim or some sort of self satisfaction. He just wanted to test how strong their conviction is.

And maybe it was his own past that caused him to sympathize with the brothers' plight. In all honesty, he didn't want Ed and Al making the same mistake he did. Hating and loathing their older sibling, not realizing the pain the other side is going through whilst being hated by someone they cared so much about and sworn to protect, no matter what, even at the cost of themselves. After all, it was the duty of an older sibling to protect their younger brothers and sisters. That's why Naruko never thought about bringing them to Konoha. She didn't want Ed and Al to go through the same pain, sadness, and loneliness as she did. Because if she would have taken them, they would surely be picked upon and ostracized for being related to a jinchuuriki. Being hated, despised, and looked down upon for something they had no control over nor understand.

Inwardly, he frowned just thinking about it. Naruko was always self sacrificing like that. Maybe secretly knowing she had a family, people who loved her is what helped her push through the harsh and dark times of her childhood and persevere.

He was too late to see past Itachi's facade and witness the agony his brother was going through. He doesn't want Naruko experience what Itachi went through. Truthfully, he was doing this for her benefit than the brothers. Naruko couldn't run away from this forever.

"We want to know! Where is our sister?" they both yelled, simultaneously, becoming increasingly fed up with the repeated questioning. If Sasuke knows where their sister, why doesn't he tell them already? Instead of wasting their time asking them these testy inquires? Does he believe they are not serious?

Sasuke just stared at the brothers, wordlessly. His expression portrayed nothing. "You know, you two are almost as much of a loser as your sister," he finally spoke with a hint of amusement.

"What?" Ed and Al were slightly baffled by the comment, wondering if they heard the older boy right.

"Nothing." He closed his eyes, contemplative. Naruko was probably going to kill him for this. He could already imagine her barreling after him with the force of a susanoo. He promised he won't tell them she was a shinobi, but she never said anything about informing them of her current location.

Although, the blond alchemist was having none of that. His temper flared. "No, no! Did you just call us losers? What do you mean?" he shouted, angrily.

Sasuke smirked. "It means you're just as stubborn as Naruko."

"What?!" An angry fist rose. Al had to hold his irate brother back from striking the Uchiha.

"If you want to know Naruko is," Sasuke started, his voice causing the brothers to listen to him, intently. "If you want to know your older sister's location, meet me on the roof tonight." He twisted his body around until his back was facing them. He began walking away.

"Wait!" Edward shouted after him, making him halt in his tracks. "Why can't you tell us now?"

"I've got things to do," the raven haired man responded, casually. "My test is starting soon. Don't have time to explain." Plus, he didn't want any prying eyes or eavesdroppers listening in on their conversation. Not to mention, he could sense a dark, inhuman presence from just around the corner.

He marched onward towards the Command Center where is finally test was taking place. He threw a dark glare at the spy who was hiding behind the bush. He heard a faint gasp coming from that area and a near silent rustle that soon followed. The spy must have caught on that he was spotted and fled.

The Uchiha merely scoffed and continued on his way.

Edward and Alphonse just stared, slightly perplexed as Sasuke walked away, witnessing his form disappearing further and further away.

Ed grumbled, crossing his arms. "I really don't get that guy. Naruko was right. He can be a bit of a bastard. Though the colonel is much worse."

"Well, at least, Mr. Sasuke agreed to let us know where sister is, so we can find her," Al inputted, positively, feeling grateful towards the guy who barely knew them, but still decided to help them with their family predicament. "We should be thankful he's even telling us. Sister rarely tells us anything."

The elder Elric breathed out a reluctant sigh. "I guess you're right, Al." He looked out into the distance before gazing back his armored baby brother.

* * *

Sasuke just stared at the examinees and spectators with same aloof expression on his face. There were two things he noticed. One, the Fuhrer wasn't in the audience. However, two, his soon to be superior officer and his lieutenant were.

He tried to get a feel of everyone's chakra, determining who was the biggest threat in the room, in case he was caught. Nobody in the room had any decent amount of chakra. All of their chakra reserves were equivalent to that of mere civilians. If things could hairy, he could easily put all of them into a genjutsu with his sharingan.

One of the officers approached him. "Do you need something to draw Transmutation Circles with?"

"No need," Sasuke coolly dismissed him.

The man looked uncertain, but backed away, nonetheless. There were already mutters and whispers going around the room.

"Is he just like that Fullmetal kid?"

"Can he perform without a circle?"

They tried to keep their voices quiet and low, but Sasuke could hear them perfectly with his chakra enhanced hearing. He could clearly hear the various emotions in their tone. Some showed awe and admiration. Others displayed absolute disdain, obviously displeased at the prospect of having someone stronger than them. While a few were merely indifferent, only here to watch and observe, to see what happens.

Not paying them any more mind, the dark haired man produced a stream of lightning. It was crackling over his hand. Little linings of electricity encasing his hand like a makeshift shield. It was simply a weak of his chidori. Nevertheless, that didn't stop the cries of awe and squawks of disbelief from erupting around the room.

"See? He's just like the kid from three years ago!"

"He can do alchemy without a Transmutation Circle, too!"

"Not only that, but he could use lightning alchemy! You know how rare that is?!"

Sasuke stopped himself from rolling his eyes in exasperation. Unbelieving. These people sounded worse than his fangirls back in his Academy days. With their wide eyed astonishment and jaws dropping like flies, their expressions completely gobsmacked. And here he thought he had to show off more of his skills. Guess not. If they were _this_ awestruck and flabbergasted at a simple, bastardized version of a jutsu, they were seriously out of touch with the shinobi world.

Without a word, the Uchiha shut off his chidori. There was no use showing off his Chidori Senbon or Chidori Sharp Spear. There was no need, and it served to his advantage. At least, he wouldn't have to show off more of his skills and techniques to any potential enemies they may lurking in the room, observing his final test.

He still waited patiently as the judges talked among themselves in harsh whispers. They tried to remain stoic and unphased, but they were doing a pretty poor job of it. He could see the beads of sweat pouring down one man's face. One man couldn't wipe that imperious smirk from his face, so he tried hiding it behind his man. The last one looked pretty fearful. No doubt wondering if they let Sasuke, would he one day usurp him?

Finally, the one with the leering gleam in his, viewing Sasuke as no more than a potentially powerful weapon joining the ranks, stood up. "Looks like we know who's going to be this year's new State Alchemist!" he proclaimed, clapping his hands, joyously. Though the haughtiness in his voice was easily detectable.

Sasuke merely let out a 'hn', taking it as his cue to leave.

* * *

As promised, Sasuke met Edward and Alphonse on the roof of the hotel later that night. When she was informed by the brothers of their plans to see their older sister, Winry decided to join in, too.

"You promised you would tell us where Naruko is," Edward demanded, impatiently, arms crossed. "Well? Out with it!"

Sasuke merely quirked an eyebrow. This was Naruko's brother. He obviously lacked any kind of patience. Or respect for that manner.

"Brother! Don't be rude!" Alphonse chastised him. He gazed at the dark haired Uchiha with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry about my brother's rudeness, Mr. Sasuke. But you did promise us you would tell us."

There was a curve in Sasuke's lips, possibly from amusement, but it quickly dissipated. "First off, I didn't promise you anything," he spoke out, promptly.

As soon as that sentence uttered from his mouth, Edward immediately turned red with anger. Though, the Uchiha continued on before he could lash out.

"However, if you want to catch up to Naruko, take a train ride to a town called Nekiomi," Sasuke continued to explain. "From there, you would find a ship heading towards the Elemental Nations."

"Elemental Nations?" Al inquired, confused. The same puzzled expression was on Ed's and Winry's faces.

"What's the Elemental Nations?" Winry asked.

"It's a continent out in the far, far east. It's also Naruko's birth place."

There was stunned gasps that erupted from the three of them. Sasuke guessed Naruko never got around to telling them where she was born. Perhaps vague hints, but nothing specific. Man, how much was she keeping from them. He would've thought she would, at least, told them that much.

He merely shook his head as he resumed explaining. "There you would land on the outskirts of the Land of Lightning. Head to the Land of Fire. That's where your sister is."

The brothers nodded, firmly in confirmation, signaling to Sasuke that they understood all that.

"Is there a specific town she's staying?" Winry questioned, trying to garner more information from the young man.

Sasuke merely told her no. "Naruko is traveling now, so she doesn't have an exact location." Plus, it would be less suspicious on his part, if he left her current location vague. He wasn't supposed to be telling them this much anyway.

"Thanks, Mr. Sasuke," Al spoke with much gratitude in his tone.

Edward smirked, slamming his flesh hand into the open palm of his metal one. "Let's go buy a train ticket to Nekiomi that leaves first thing in the morning, Al!" he declared with fierce determination.

"I'm going with you guys!" Winry proclaimed.

"Actually, it would be best if you stayed here, Winry," Sasuke denied her request, causing her to shoot him a saddened and incredulous look.

"What? Why?"

"The Elemental Nations is no place for civilians," was the Uchiha's reply. He wasn't being rude. Just blunt. At least, it was no place for civilians without any knowledge about shinobi nor any self defense skills as far as he could tell. "I'm only telling Ed and Al this because if worse came to worst, they could defend themselves with their alchemy. However, I don't advise you on the matter." He gave the brothers a hardened look. "Don't show off. Keep yourselves hidden. Don't reveal your identity to anyone."

Now, it was Ed's turn to shoot Sasuke a look of disbelief and suspicion. "Why?"

The Uchha wanted to open his mouth to say that if the wrong people found out about the brothers' relationship to Naruko, they would surely try to use it to their advantage. He would do whatever it was necessary to protect Naruko. He _will_ make sure she lives long enough to become Hokage and change the ninja world.

Though, none of the words of conviction were uttered from the raven haired man's mouth. Instead he said with his voice cold and serious...

"Because if you don't, you will surely get yourself killed."

* * *

 **(A/N: Finally, that's it! The end of chapter fourteen! Hope you enjoyed it! Yep! Next chapter Ed and Al would be heading out to the Elemental Nations. Hooray!**

 **I'm sorry, if Sasuke's third exam seemed a bit...underwhelming. After rewatching the anime, I realized no one could do lightning based alchemy nor is there any mention. I figured that must be so rare and dangerous that hardly ever has the courage to try. Just like Mustang's flame alchemy. So, I figured that if Sasuke merely showed perfect control over a rare ability [in the eyes of Amestrians], he was almost guaranteed to be in. Not to mention, the more power hungry members of the military would see it as another powerful weapon within their clutches.**

 **Well, that's it! Leave any comments, suggestions, and questions in a review, and thanks for reading! Man, I'm so sleepy.)**


	15. A Mother's Plight

**(A/N: Here's chapter fifteen of 'Bonds Are Stronger Than Gold'! Enjoy!**

 **XenoBlaze: Thanks for the review! Don't worry about Ed. He would eventually let go of his grudge against his sister. Like with his father. Edward was always type of person to that bore grudges. It's just his character. Though, the majority of the time, it's always played for laughs, except when it comes to his father.**

 **Titania1796: Thanks for reviewing! I can't read your review, so I had to Google Translate it. Ed and Al would learn by Naruko's past eventually.**

 **And thanks to everybody so much for favoring, following, and reviewing he story so far! Thank you so much!** **)**

* * *

A Mother's Plight

"You guys are really going to see Naruko, huh?" Winry inquired, feeling happy for the brothers.

"Of course!" Edward proclaimed, loudly. "After so many years, we finally get a solid clue about Naruko's whereabouts. And it's a good one!" He continued to pack his supplies in his suitcase for his trip across the ocean, apparently. Their train leaves in an hour.

"I'm so excited, brother!" Al voiced, the enthusiasm in his tone clearly noticeable. "We're going overseas! We've never been to the ocean before!"

Winry could feel the armored boy's excitement and smiled. "Don't forget to bring me a souvenir," she requested, giving Ed an expectant gaze.

The blond alchemist lazily waved his hand, closing suitcase since he was finished packing, which wasn't much. "Yeah, yeah. I'll bring you a fancy wrench, gearhead."

An angry tick mark formed on the mechanics forehead. "What did you say, pipsqueak alchemist?!" she yelled, furiously.

Ed's own temper flared when she insulted him being calling him a pipsqueak. His trigger word. "What did you call me?!" he yelled, enraged.

The only female in the room just ignored him. She sighed. "Al, make sure to keep your brother in line. Knowing Ed, I'm sure he's going to cause trouble the minute he steps off the ship."

"Hey! I don't cause trouble!"

"Don't worry, Winry," Al said, reassuringly. "I'll make sure brother stays out of trouble."

"Al! Who's side are you on?! Why is everybody ganging up on me?!"

The sizzling sound of a whistle blew, signaling the trains soon to be departure.

"You two take care and stay out of trouble, alright?" Winry said with a bit of humor and concern.

Edward rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Quit worrying. We'll be fine."

"I can't help but to worry, okay?" That confession caught both brothers slightly by surprise. The blonde mechanic gave her childhood friends a look that was a mixture of fear, unease, and anxiety. "Since last night, I've been thinking about Sasuke's warning."

Ed rose a confused brow. "What warning?"

Winry shot him a disbelieving look. "Remember? The one he said about keeping a low profile, and keep your identities hidden?"

The blond alchemist confused expression turned somber and serious. "Yeah, I remember."

"I've been wondering what Mr. Sasuke meant by that, too," Alphonse added, inquisitively.

The blonde girl nodded. "I don't know Sasuke's warning means. It's got me worrying that the place you guys are going, it's really dangerous." She clenched her fist. "Just thinking about it makes me scared that something bad would happen to you guys." She bit the inside of her lip, trying to keep her tears at bay. "Just don't die, okay? Promise me that, no matter what, you would come back alive!"

Ed and Al just stared at their childhood friend for a good solid minute. Winry waited with bated breath at the brothers' silence, her body almost shaking in anticipation, and her blue eyes wide with anxiety and concern.

The train whistled once more and began to take off.

It was just then that Ed gave Winry his signature cocky, boyish smile. "We're not going to die that easily, Winry!" he shouted at her through the open window as the train disappeared further and further away. "We'll be back before you know it!"

The last thing the brothers saw was a small, reassured smile gracing Winry's face.

* * *

" _Boys!"_

 _Edward heard his mother's call. Him and his brother were currently playing hide and seek in the front yard. When heard his mother's voice, he perked up with excitement, and dashed towards her as fast as his little feet could carry him._

 _Alphonse emerged from his hiding spot among the bushes and quickly padded across the yard, giggling all the way._

 _However, seeing the somber look on his mother's face, the sadness in Trisha's usually cheerfully bright, green eyes caused Ed's huge grin to fade and be replaced with the expression of worry._

" _Mom, what's wrong?" Ed asked, fearing that his mother might be sick or something._

" _Mom?" Al called out, just as worried as his brother._

 _Trisha did her best to hold back the sadness she was feeling deep within, keeping the sense of dread she felt at bay. Her lips curled up into her usual sweet smile. Her husband may have left, but seeing the smiling faces of her children always made her happy._

 _Although, at this moment, she wasn't as happy as she perceived to be. She had to pretend to be untroubled for her boys. Act like nothing was wrong. She was just going on a little trip with their sister, is all. There's nothing to worry about._

" _Ed, Al." She crouched down to their level, eyeing them, carefully as her boys watched her with attentive ears. "I want you to start packing your things. You are staying over at Winry's for a couple of weeks."_

 _Edward was the first to speak, a look of confusion displayed on his chubby facial features. "We are staying over at Winry's? What? Why?"_

 _Alphonse tilted his head, quizzically. "Mom, are you going away somewhere?"_

" _Yes, sweetie. I'm going on a trip and your sister's coming with," she replied, doing her best to choke back her fears._

" _A trip? A vacation? Why can't we come, too?" Ed pouted, crossing his arms._

 _Trisha tensed, her smile tightened a bit. It was a good thing that Ed and Al didn't notice her uneasiness. They were so innocent. So ignorant and oblivious to the harshness of the world around. They were only five and four, after all. She just wished they would keep their childlike innocence for as long as possible._

 _Sadly, Trisha shook her head. "This is...an important business trip, Ed," she answered, softly. She placed a gentle hand on her eldest son's head. "I need you to be a good boy for the Rockbells, and look after your little brother for me while your sister and I are away. Can you do that for me, my little man?"_

 _Ed nodded is head, furiously, proudly puffing out his chest. "I'll look after Al. I promise, mom!" he declared with a childishly, determined expression on his face._

" _Are you going to bring us back some souvenirs, mom?" Al asked, excitedly._

 _Trisha resisted the urge to frown. Being reminded of this trip, of the inevitable nearly always broke her heart. But she had to be brave. For her children._

" _I'll bring something nice for you. The both of you," she finally replied, sweetly, gently ruffling her sons' heads. "Now, go start packing, you two."_

" _Okay!" Ed and Al cheered, simultaneously, rushing inside the house, giggling all the way._

 _Once her sons were out of sight, the brown haired woman took this time to let the few stray tears she was holding back to slowly glide down her face._

* * *

" _Do you mind look after my boys while their sister and I are away on a trip, Sarah?" Trisha asked the blonde woman._

 _The four adults sat around the dining table. A mug of coffee was placed before each of them._

 _The children were out in the backyard, playing while the adults held a serious conversation._

 _The atmosphere was tense and restless. Trisha tentative hands gripped her mug. Her fingers lightly tapped against the mug. The only one indication of the anxiety she was feeling._

" _You want us to look after Ed and Al?" Sarah inquiried. "We'll be happy to, Trisha. But what about Naruko?"_

 _Trisha nodded her head, slowly taking a sip of her coffee. "I'm taking her with me on a trip," she answered, tentatively._

 _The Rockbells frowned. They knew that Trisha went on these little 'trips' with Naruko on several occasions ever since the young girl was adopted into the Elric family. A sense of uneasiness and dread always overtook the brown haired woman whenever it was time leave Resembool with young Naruko. They had no clue where the woman left, but they noted that every time she was preparing to leave or came back from her trips, she always appeared extremely stressed and sad._

 _They have tried talking to her about it, trying to help ease her pain, but the woman was stubborn. She wouldn't budge one bit. She would simply tell them there was nothing to worry about, and be on her way._

" _Trisha, is it alright not to bring Ed and Al?" Pinako questioned, worriedly. The elderly woman blew out a small puff of smoke from her pipe._

 _Trisha merely breathed out a dejected sigh. She knew this would be long and disheartening conversation. But just like all the other times, she was prepared for it._

" _If you tell anybody about what we've discussed, there will be consequences."_

 _The woman of three kids bit the inside of her lip. A small shiver dismay and depression slithered down her spine as she recalled the malicious threat. She wasn't allowed to speak about her 'vacations' to anybody. Though, admittedly, even she doesn't understand the full reasoning behind why the elders of Naruko's village want to keep a constant update on her daughter on a regular basis. What was so important that they couldn't just leave her daughter, her family alone? Just let them live in Resembool in peace! Why do they need to keep tabs on her? As if this was all some sort of environmental experiment to them? A nature vs nurture project?_

 _She tried to keep her tears at bay. She had to be strong. For her little girl. Naruko was already distraught enough as is. Naruko enjoyed these trips far less than she did. Though, she tries to hide it from her younger brothers, she's always scared and desolate when they have to go back and visit her homeland._

 _As her mother, Trisha had to be confident, supportive, and strong. She had to be someone her little girl could lean on for support. As Naruko's mother, she had to protect her baby girl._

* * *

 _Naruko sat under the shade of a tall tree, a sullen expression on her face. Soon, very soon, she would be leaving with her mom back to her hometown, her birth place, and she was dreading it._

" _Sister!"_

 _The blonde girl jerked her head at the sound of her youngest brother's call. She witnessed as her two, adorable, baby brothers tumbled to her spot in a cutesy manner with each energetic bounce in their steps._

" _Sister, why aren't you playing with us?" Alphonse asked, his lips forming into a small pout._

 _Naruko shot Al a wry grin. "Sorry, Al. I guess I'm just a little tired."_

 _Her two brothers shot each other a contemplative look before nodding in understanding. They took a seat on either side of her. Ed on her right and Al on her left. It was relatively quiet between the three siblings. They leaned back against the tree silently as they eyed Winry gleefully picking up flowers, giggling to herself all the while._

" _Sister?" Al spoke, a hint of worry in his tone. "Are you tired? Sad?"_

 _Naruko eyes grew wide at her youngest brother's concern. "No, Al," she pressed. "What makes you say that?"_

 _The little boy kicked his leg out, apprehensively. "You've been wearing a gloomy face lately," he explained, somberly, mimicking her sullen expression._

 _She shot him a wry smile. She wrapped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him in. "Sorry to make you worry, Al. I'm just thinking about how much I'm going to miss you guys while I'm away."_

" _You and mom always go away somewhere," Edward pouted. "Why? Where do you go? Why can't we come, too?"_

" _Don't pout, Ed," Naruko reprimanded him, promptly ignoring his inquiries. "I'll be back before you know it, dattebayo!" She couldn't tell him where she was going anyway. She wasn't allowed. It was...secret. A super secret, apparently. She would be in trouble if she did._

 _Ed whined, not satisfied with her half baked response. He scooted closer to her. He wanted as much contact with his big sister as he could possibly get. As if he was trying to soak as much of his sister's affection as he possibly and store it like a wet sponge._

 _Naruko felt Ed's head pressed against her right shoulder, and her lips split into a small, gentle smile. She softly patted Al's head as he laid on her lap. She loved her brothers dearly. She would do anything to protect them. She was touched that her brothers were trying to comfort her when her heart was being filled with anticipation and anxiety upon the upcoming trip._

 _The eldest Elric leaned her head back against the tree and sighed in bliss, enjoying the peace and tranquility, the warmth and comfort of her adoring, younger brothers as long as she possibly could._

" _Sister?" Edward spoke, leaning away from her, and grabbing her attention. He gazed at her with resolute, golden eyes, a hint of a deep fondness shining behind them. He closed his mouth, a thin line forming as he looked away from his sister's curious stare. His cheeks tinted a light pink out of embarrassment. His fingers idly played with the turf of grass on the ground._

" _What is it, Ed?" Naruko asked, curiously when he kept shyly silent._

 _He fidgeted, shifting nervously from side to side. Getting a grip on himself and his face steeled in determination, the young blond crawled away from his confused sister._

" _Ed, where are you going?"_

 _Ed promptly ignored her query. He called his younger brother over. "Al, come over here."_

 _Al lifted his head from Naruko's lap, and glanced at his brother. His brows furrowed in confusion. He took him a few seconds of contemplation before he complied with Ed's request._

 _"What is it, brother?"_

 _"Just come over here!" Ed urged, hurriedly, straightening up on his knees. "Naruko, you stay there!" he shouted._

 _The eldest of the siblings cocked her head, blue eyes glazed with curiosity. "Why?"_

 _Ed's cheeks darkened, feeling flustered. "J-just stay!" he huffed. "Close your eyes, too! And turn around!"_

 _Naruko quirked an amused brow. It was amusing to see how flustered her dear, little brother was coming. Whatever it is he had in mind, he was embarrassed, and when he was embarrassed, he would become extra bossy and endearingly apprehensive because he was just too stubborn and flustered to admit his feelings. She decided to humor him, and do what she was told._

 _She twisted her body around. She crossed her arms in front of her eyes and leaned her forehead against the bark of the tree to make sure her vision was completely obscured._

 _She heard make Ed noise out of satisfaction. Her strained ears could hear her brother's hush whispers. Whatever they were conversing about made Alphonse giggle with excitement. Winry seemed to have caught the and joined the boys. She could hear the grass crunching under her small footsteps._

" _What are guys doing?" Winry squeaked, curiously. "A circle? Why are you drawing a circle on the ground, Ed?"_

 _Naruko's ears perked up at that. A circle?_

" _Sheesh!" Ed hushed the little girl, harshly. "Geez! Can't you keep quiet? You'll ruin everything!"_

 _Winry let out a screeching wail. "Edward, you jerk!"_

 _Hearing Winry's sobs, Naruko's instincts kicked out. She always the oldest of the four of them, and felt that it was her need to be the responsible one and take care of the younger ones. Winry had a very sensitive nature, and cries easily from the slightest slight._

 _She turned, so she could diffuse the upcoming fight between her brother and their friend. However, before she could make a move to get up, Al stopped her._

" _Sister! Don't look!" he shouted, frantically. "You shouldn't turn around just yet!"_

 _Naruko sighed in exasperation. "I have to go and break up the fight between Ed and Winry."_

" _No!" he bellowed out, forcibly before quickly covering his mouth out of embarrassment. "I mean, no, sister. Let me handle it. I can calm brother down."_

 _She cocked an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"_

 _Al nodded his head, furiously whilst nervously chewing on his bottom._

 _Blue eyes just stared at the young boy, silently, scrutinizing his every move and trying to decipher what was going on inside that head of his behind his pinkened face._

 _A small, glint of smile etched across the older girl's face. "Then can I count you to keep your brother in line? If you do that, then I promise not to turn around until you tell me to."_

 _He beamed. "Yep!" he chirped, happily._

 _Naruko grinned at her youngest brother, and resumed closing her eyes. She heard a breath of relief leave her brother's lips. His feet enthusiastically skipped away as he let out a triumphant 'all clear'._

" _Phew! That was close," Edward breathed out, his shoulders relaxing a bit, a hand pressed against his anxiously pounding heart._

 _The blonde girl smiled against the skin of her arms, laughing lightly to herself when she heard Ed and Winry bickering, and Al trying to desperately to break them apart, or else the fighting might cause her to intervene._

 _Naruko did her best to piece together what was so secretive that she wasn't allowed to see. Why were they so adamant about her not seeing what they were doing behind her back?_

 _Then she gasped. Were they planning to surprise her?_

 _A wave of giddiness, excitement, and suspense struck her. What kind of surprise were her brothers preparing for her? Where were they going to get it. Now that she thought about it, didn't Winry mention something about Ed drawing a circle in the dirt. Her mind tried to process what could a circle in the dirt meant._

 _Unless…_

 _Was Ed planning to use alchemy? Was he going to make something for her using alchemy?_

 _Ever since their father left, Edward and Alphonse had been immersed in his alchemic books and theories. She tried to read them herself a couple of times, but they were too hard. They were way too sciencey for her taste. She couldn't, for the life of her, make heads or tails or what was written. Heck, it caused her brain so much agony just trying to read the first paragraph._

 _Which made her even more proud of her dear brothers that they could read, discepher, and understand such difficult text. Was she jealous? Of course not! She'd always known that wasn't the brainy type. Why would she be jealous over something like that? She would rather play and run around outside then sit in an empty room and study books all day._

 _Though, Naruko had never seen Ed and Al_ perform _alchemy before. They have done alchemy before. At least, not in front of her as far as she could recall. Well, except that one time they made a wooden bird from the floorboard in order to impress mom. And ever since, they've been immersed in the world of alchemy._

 _She remembered being in awe at seeing the flash of blue light emerged. To her, it was like a magic trick. So mysterious and majestic. She was so mesmerized by such a fantastic display of something so utterly_ cool _that begged her younger brothers to teach her. Unfortunately, she didn't have the knack for it, and after three weeks, she gave up._

 _Though, she had never seen her brothers perform alchemy since then, and that was months ago. She was so happy and proud to have a couple of prodigious brothers._

 _Although, she was a little wary. Not of her brothers. Of course not! She was wary of what their natural talent in alchemy could mean for them. The thought of not being to protect Ed and Al, terrified her._ She's _their big sister. She should be able to take care of them and keep them safe, no matter what._

 _The blonde girl would often fear of the greedy adults that would try to take advantage of their exceptional skills in alchemy. She doesn't know where this extra bout of wariness came from. She learned that she was more alert and guarded than most kids her age. Maybe it had something to do with her horrid time in the orphanage, enduring those cold glares, silently telling her, cursing her to go die already. Or maybe it was something instinctively ingrained in her from birth. Who knows? Or is just natural instincts that comes from being a big sister to two, little brothers?_

" _Sister!"_

 _Naruko's ears perked up from the sound of Alphonse's excited call, and she snapped out of her musings. However, she didn't dare turn around yet._

" _Sister, turn around!"_

" _Naruko, you can look now!"_

 _The enthusiasm in brothers' tones made Naruko's heart leap with giddy and anticipation. She couldn't wait to see the surprise that awaited her!_

 _Bouncing onto her feet, the eldest girl made a swift turn around to catch a view of her younger brothers staring at her with bright, wide grins, though Alphonse's was a little more bashful than Edward's._

" _We made you a present!" Edward outstretched his hands to reveal a beautifully created tiny, metal, winged horse. The design was so simple yet elegant. The small details were carefully crafted into an intricate design. The horse was prettied up with a bunch of different styles and patterns. The wings, especially, were wonderfully majestic. The attractive features caught her blue eyes the most. Although, the horse still had that childlike vibe to it overall._

" _Did you guys make this for me?" Naruko asked, stunned and wide eyed in astonished._

" _You bet!" Ed chirped, proudly, a bit of his arrogance seeping in his tone._

 _Do you like it, sister?" Al asked, a bit shyer than his proud brother._

" _Like it? I love it!" Naruko beamed, ecstatically. Truthfully, her happiness was derived from the fact that her brothers made her the gift. Rather than the gift itself. This was genuinely the first present she had received from her brothers. She couldn't stop the overwhelming flow of emotions that swirled inside her heart. It was times like these that reminded her how much she was loved by the Elric family. Giving her another reason to remember that she was family, even if she is adopted._

 _Her heart was overflowing with happiness right now!_

 _Naruko, on impulse, pulled her two, younger brothers into a passionate hug, and peppered their cheeks with light kisses. She could pick up the sound of Edward's embarrassed whines, but she didn't care. She was extremely giddy with delight and exhilaration. He just have to endure her elated displays of affection._

" _Ew!" Ed complained in disgust, trying fruitlessly to squirm out of her strong grip. "Sister, stop kissing us! It's embarrassing!"_

 _Al just giggled with glee, happy that his older sister enjoyed her present so much._

 _Winry smiled sweetly at the group hug between the Elric siblings. "I'm the one who suggested they put wings on the horse!" she piped in._

 _Naruko sent the younger girl an appreciative grin, and pulled her into a hug. "You did? Thanks, Winry! You're so sweet!"_

 _The smaller girl blushed, feeling flustered and happy from receiving a hug from her big sister figure._

" _Naruko, it's time to go!"_

 _The piercing and sullen sound of the Elric's matriarch call, disheartened the mood a bit._

 _Naruko could feel her heart almost break at the distressing and saddening looks Ed and Al were shooting her. Winry's suppressed tears and quivering lips wasn't help matters either._

" _Well, this is goodbye," she spoke in a somewhat bittersweet tone. "Ed, Al, you guys take care of yourselves while mom and I are gone."_

 _Her youngest brother instantly wrapped his tiny arms around her waist in a tearful embrace. "Come back soon, sister," he sniffled._

 _Ed tugged on her sleeve, eyeing his big sister with such a solemn expression. "Take care, sister," he said, trying to keep the sadness he was feeling inside at bay. "You and mom stay safe. We'll be waiting with Auntie, Uncle, and Winry."_

 _Unlike her brothers sad expressions, Winry decided to send Naruko off with a bright smile. Even though a few streaks of tears were gliding down her face. "Have fun, Naruko! Bring us back lots of toys and gifts!" she cried, cheerily and a slightly gloomy._

 _Once again, the eldest girl felt her heart clench at the dispirited appearance on her brothers' and friend's countenances. She pulled the three into one last, woeful hug._

 _Trisha paced, mechanically into the backyard with a dour expression on her face. When her kids having a group hug, she smiled, melancholically. Seeing this touching scene before her, drew a small ping in her heart._

 _Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes. She wondered how long their peaceful lives would be able to last. Would Naruko be able to stay with them forever?_

 _The Ishvalan Civil War have already started. And because of the war, Naruko living with them had been deemed unsafe. They were getting anxious, restless, furious even, demanding for her return to her rightful birthplace. Though she wouldn't dare part with her._ She _was her_ daughter! _Ed's and Al's_ big sister! _If she left, it would surely break the boys' hearts. They were still recovering from their father's absence. They couldn't take any more distressing and heart wrenching news! It would practically destroy them. Especially, Al._ He was only four!

 _All Trisha could do was smile and pray with every fiber of her being that nothing else would rip their family apart. Make it even more broken than it already is._

 _With that fake sweet smile still plastered on her face, used to hide her anxiety and anguish, she called her baby girl over. "Naruko, it's time go, sweetie!" Her hands lightly shook as she gripped the handle of their suitcase, tightly._

 _Naruko released her younger brothers and friend. She shot them one last longing look before nodding her head, solemnly. "Okay."_

 _Mother and daughter both fully understood this trip would be dreadful. They just didn't know how distratous it would be._

* * *

 _No!_

No _!_

 _NO!_

 _This couldn't be happening!_

 _Her green eyes were wide with horror. Her entire body was paralyzed with crippling dread and unspeakable terror. Her forehead was dripping with sweat. Her hands trembling at her sides. Her heart was clenched so tightly, her chest her. Her breathing became more labored as time clicked away._

" _N-no! No! You can't…! She's my baby girl!" she cried, hysterically. All her agonizing emotions being released at once. "_ She's my daughter _!" A sense of overwhelming despair hit her like a violent tornado._

" _She's not your daughter," was the icy cold response she received. The elder stared at her with his wintry, dark eyes. His single, unbandaged eye that showed nothing but and. "Naruko belongs to us. She belongs to Konoha. You will bring her back."_

" _Danzo, that's enough!" the man wearing a red irately reprimanded the other guy by the name of 'Danzo', sending him a harsh glare. His tone was flavored with displeasure and disgust towards the man. Sometimes his old friend could be way too heartless and cruel. He couldn't he see that the poor woman was on the brink of despair._

 _The Third Hokage shot Trisha a sad and sympathetic gaze. "Forgive him for his harsh and insensitive words, Mrs. Elric."_

 _There was a tense, suffocating silence they hung around the room. Hiruzen honestly doesn't know what to say. It was true that it was time for Naruko to begin her training as a shinobi of the Leaf. It's primitive because of what the young girl carries inside her. The Nine Tailed Fox. The girl needs training to learn how to control the fox's power._

 _But this woman… She was the one who raised Naruko for the past four years. The one who showered the poor, lonely, orphaned girl with love and affection. The person who should her what a mother's warmth feels like. The who took care of her, sheltered her, nurtured her. The person the girl had fondly grew to call 'mom'._

 _This painful decision would tragically rip the unfortunate family apart. If the Hokage remembered correctly, the woman also had two biological sons. Naruko's adopted brothers. As per the contract, he could imagine that Trisha kept her end of the bargain, and they have been ignorant of this whole ordeal for the past few years._

 _There was only one solution…_

" _It is unfortunate, Mrs. Elric, but we do need Naruko to return to Konoha. It is of utmost importance. With the Ishvalan Civil War, some of us don't think the girl is safe in Amestris," the Hokage said, forlornly. The other members of the council nodded in agreement. "But I have an idea that I think may suffice. How about moving your family to the Village Hidden in the Leaves along with Naruko?"_

" _Lord Hokage!" the baffled and outraged voices of the other elders in the room rang out._

 _However, Hiruzen wasn't interested in what they had to say. Trying to rip Naruko apart from her family was beyond cruel and unnecessary._

 _Trisha's green eyes lit, a bit of hope shining behind her teary eyed, emerald orbs. Ultimately, she could either choose to let Naruko go, and stay with her in Konoha along with Ed and Al. She completely understood that both decisions would drastically affect her family._

 _This was a choice that would drastically alter their way of life. She couldn't afford to make a mistake._

* * *

 **(A/N: Well, that's it! The end of chapter fifteen! I hope you enjoyed it! I always wanted to do a bit of background explaining the circumstances regarding the reason why Naruko left. And here it is! Of course, there is still more to come in the next chapter.**

 **Leave any comments, suggestions, or questions in a review, and thanks for reading!)**


End file.
